Are avocados really harmful to dogs? New research suggests that this age-old belief might just be a myth.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois claimed that incorporating this popular fruit into dog food could offer our furry friends some solid nutritional benefits.
Avocados have become the superstars of health and fitness culture in recent years. Numerous studies have highlighted benefits from regular avocado consumption, like better gut health, weight control, and even potential cancer-fighting properties.
And with so many people, both young and old, opting to eat more avocados nowadays, scientists were curious if they could whip up some avocado treats for canines.
But, if you hop on Google, you’ll likely find a myriad of resources pointing out that avocados contain a compound known as persin– which is not dog-friendly. Even the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) claims that if dogs ingest Persin from avocados, it may lead to symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
Even with those cautionary notes, researcher Maria Cattai de Godoy, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Department, claims that the concerns are exaggerated.
In fact, the researchers were not able to find any trace amounts of persin in their avocado meal– which is the dried, ground, and defatted seed, pulp, and skin that is left over after avocado oil processing.
“Being from Brazil, avocados grow in our backyards. They fall on the ground, and if dogs get hold of them, they eat them. Just like they do with mangoes, bananas, and any other fruits that grow natively in our country,” Cattai de Godoy said.
“I’d never heard of a dog dying from eating an avocado, so I was really curious why they were considered toxic here. And when you look at the literature for avocado toxicity, all that exists are a few case studies,” she continued.
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“Dogs reported to have a fondness for avocado showed some signs of toxicity, but the case reports couldn’t prove avocados caused those symptoms. There are a lot of uncontrolled factors in these cases.”
On top of that, the researchers couldn’t pinpoint substantial direct evidence that persin was harming dogs. Those investigations also didn’t clarify where exactly– in the avocado plants or the fruit– the persin was most present. Finally, none delved into the persin amounts in avocado meal– which is the dried, ground, and defatted seed, pulp, and skin that is left over after avocado oil processing.
So, the team made avocado biscuits for pups using avocado meal to create a dry dog food fiber. And after conducting a new analysis, the researchers discovered why they were not able to locate persin in the new dog fiber.
“Persin is structurally similar to a polyunsaturated fatty acid, meaning there are a lot of double bonds. They’re not very stable; heat and light can make them break down. Processing is very likely breaking down persin, which is probably why we cannot see it in the meal,” explained Cattai de Godoy.
“In fact, the concentration was so small in the avocado meal that it was out of our standard curve linear range, meaning it was below detection level. We observed, however, detectable amounts of persin in the raw fruit, including the peel, pulp, and pit.”
After determining that avocado meal was safe for dogs, the researchers then fed a group of beagles three different types of fiber: avocado meal, beet pulp, and cellulose. Then, during a two-week trial period, the team did not witness any issues or signs of discomfort among the dogs munching on the avocado meal.
When it comes to the other two common fibers, cellulose is the type that adds bulk to stools. Meanwhile, beet pulp is often considered the top-notch fiber for pet foods. It’s a blend of both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping nurture beneficial gut bacteria and also ensuring stools have the right consistency.
In comparing the trio for their fiber benefits, the researchers found that avocado meal sits somewhere between cellulose and beet pulp.
The researchers point out that they examined persin levels from just one type of avocado meal. The levels might differ based on the specific variety of avocado and how it’s processed — something the avocado industry hasn’t standardized.
However, according to Cattai de Godoy, the results suggest that avocados could be as good for our furry friends as they are for us.
“If you have a tool nobody has looked at, and it’s economical and highly abundant, why not use it? From what we can tell, it seems to be a safe ingredient. We don’t see a signal for persin in avocado meal, and there is not really a robust literature pointing to persin as a true toxin for dogs or cats,” Cattai de Godoy concluded.
“I certainly think there’s still work to be done in order to say there are no concerns, especially if we were giving the fresh fruit. But according to our study, I think avocado meal is a safe bet and can be used effectively as a sole source of dietary fiber or in fiber blends.”
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the Journal of Animal Science, visit the link here.
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