Can Dogs Eat Apricots?

Apricots are incredibly nutritious and delicious stone fruit. A dog can eat the flesh of the fruit and dried apricots (without the stone). 

The problem with apricots and dogs occurs when they ingest the stone of the fruit. Since they contain cyanide, they’re highly poisonous to dogs. 

This apricot poisoning in dogs may be the plants’ way of deterring animals from eating their seeds. Cyanide poisoning is highly toxic and leads to severe sickness or even death if untreated. 

Fifteen minutes after ingestion, symptoms could begin, or may not start for a few hours. 

Your dog may already be demonstrating severe symptoms, such as convulsions, trouble breathing, and have red membranes. 

Symptoms:

  • Bright red mucus membranes 
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Seizures 
  • Vomiting
  • Spasms
  • Weakness

Top Tips

  • Feeding your dog human food even in small amounts is not advisable. Many plants, seeds, leaves and cores can have severe clinical signs of toxicity.
  • Poisoning commonly affects the dog’s red blood cells, respiratory system, digestive symptom and apricot poisoning in dogs. Potentially apricot seeds can kill your dog.
can dogs eat apricot stones

Treatment

Take to a vet immediately and explain the onset of symptoms, the amount of apricot eaten and the time frame. A complete vet exam with blood work, urinalysis, and any other tests will help your vet make a definitive diagnosis.

Immediate treatment must begin as pet poisoning is potentially toxic. It is vital to stop the bonding of cyanide and to re-establish the mitochondrial electron transport chain through the membranes. 

The veterinarian may administer a decoy chemical receptor for the cyanide. They may give medicines through IV fluids, in addition to treatment with nitrates. There are cyanide antidotes. However, these are toxic to dogs, so will always be used with caution.