Acorn toxicity in dogs
When fall comes around, you will start seeing squirrels collecting acorns and running busy all across your yard,up in the tree,running down to the ground.Then,you would start seeing more acorns and cracked acorns on the ground.
When I was growing herbs in the pot, I sometime found acorns that squirrels buried in my pots, and I wondered if they borrowed my space for extra acorns they could not store in their nest.
Palette likes to sniff at the acorns or cracked acorn shells, but she never show any interests in acorns on the ground to munch on.
Many people know that chocolate,raisins are toxic to dogs, but did you know that acorns are actually toxic food for dogs as well?
I think that not many people probably knew about this.
According to the article written by Alison Bowler at Helium website, Oak tree,Oak tree bark, Oak tree leaves and acorns are toxic to dogs because of the toxin found in those called "Gallotanin".
Gallotanin is the combination of gallic acid and tanic acid,and it belongs to the chemical class called "Tannins".
According to the article written by Matthew Kearns DVM at north shore of long island website, tannins are found in many plants,and it is stored in leave,seed,root,bud and stem.
Small amount of Tannin is actually beneficial because of antioxidant effect and you can find it in fruits and nuts.
You can also find tannin in certain foods,beverage,medication in smaller concentration.
However, when dogs eat highly concentrated tannin with a form of acorns, it becomes a big problems.
Alison writes that concentrated Gallotanin is found in the hard outer shell of acorns,and green acorns are more toxic than brown acorns.
Severe Gallotanin poisoning seems to effect kidney, and it could be potentially fatal.
Less severe sign of poisoning include cramps, constipation,vomiting/diarrhea with blood in it, and some dogs may have seizure episode.
If dogs,especially small/tiny dogs ate acorns whole, it can block the gastrointestinal tract,too.
As a management solution,Alison and Kearns DVM suggests to keep dogs away from Oak tree and acorns especially if your dogs tend to eat inedible items.
Also, if you happened to keep water bowl outside and saw the Oak leaves floating in the water bowl, empty out the water bowl and provide fresh water.
To read the full article written by Allison Bowler at Helium website,please click here.
Just like any other toxic food for dogs,such as chocolate, some dogs may not show sign of poisoning (in this case, Gallotanin poisoning) because of the amount ingested.
Matthew Kearns DVM writes that to show the sign of Gallotanin poisoning,it is estimated that animals must consume acorns equivalent to 6% of the their body weight.
Therefore, to see the sign of poisoning with our dog " Palette" (31 lb), she must consume 1.86lb of acorns. It is a lot of acorns to consume.
To read full article written by Matthew Kearns DVM at north shore of long island website, please click here.
When your dog eats one acorn or two and showed no sign of poisoning and, you may not worry too much abut it because you see no sign of poisoning in your dogs.
However, I do not know if Gallotanin can get stored in dogs' body and, over time,if dogs could store the Gallotanin in their body, the amount could get enough to show the sign of Gallotanin poisoning.
I think we should play safe and, never let them eat acorns and be aware about Gallotanin poisoning from oak tree (bark,leaves etc) too.
If your family likes to go hiking, it is especially be important for you to know what plants are toxic for your dogs and what plant are safe to contact with.
When I was growing herbs in the pot, I sometime found acorns that squirrels buried in my pots, and I wondered if they borrowed my space for extra acorns they could not store in their nest.
Palette likes to sniff at the acorns or cracked acorn shells, but she never show any interests in acorns on the ground to munch on.
Many people know that chocolate,raisins are toxic to dogs, but did you know that acorns are actually toxic food for dogs as well?
I think that not many people probably knew about this.
According to the article written by Alison Bowler at Helium website, Oak tree,Oak tree bark, Oak tree leaves and acorns are toxic to dogs because of the toxin found in those called "Gallotanin".
Gallotanin is the combination of gallic acid and tanic acid,and it belongs to the chemical class called "Tannins".
According to the article written by Matthew Kearns DVM at north shore of long island website, tannins are found in many plants,and it is stored in leave,seed,root,bud and stem.
Small amount of Tannin is actually beneficial because of antioxidant effect and you can find it in fruits and nuts.
You can also find tannin in certain foods,beverage,medication in smaller concentration.
However, when dogs eat highly concentrated tannin with a form of acorns, it becomes a big problems.
Alison writes that concentrated Gallotanin is found in the hard outer shell of acorns,and green acorns are more toxic than brown acorns.
Severe Gallotanin poisoning seems to effect kidney, and it could be potentially fatal.
Less severe sign of poisoning include cramps, constipation,vomiting/diarrhea with blood in it, and some dogs may have seizure episode.
If dogs,especially small/tiny dogs ate acorns whole, it can block the gastrointestinal tract,too.
As a management solution,Alison and Kearns DVM suggests to keep dogs away from Oak tree and acorns especially if your dogs tend to eat inedible items.
Also, if you happened to keep water bowl outside and saw the Oak leaves floating in the water bowl, empty out the water bowl and provide fresh water.
To read the full article written by Allison Bowler at Helium website,please click here.
Just like any other toxic food for dogs,such as chocolate, some dogs may not show sign of poisoning (in this case, Gallotanin poisoning) because of the amount ingested.
Matthew Kearns DVM writes that to show the sign of Gallotanin poisoning,it is estimated that animals must consume acorns equivalent to 6% of the their body weight.
Therefore, to see the sign of poisoning with our dog " Palette" (31 lb), she must consume 1.86lb of acorns. It is a lot of acorns to consume.
To read full article written by Matthew Kearns DVM at north shore of long island website, please click here.
When your dog eats one acorn or two and showed no sign of poisoning and, you may not worry too much abut it because you see no sign of poisoning in your dogs.
However, I do not know if Gallotanin can get stored in dogs' body and, over time,if dogs could store the Gallotanin in their body, the amount could get enough to show the sign of Gallotanin poisoning.
I think we should play safe and, never let them eat acorns and be aware about Gallotanin poisoning from oak tree (bark,leaves etc) too.
If your family likes to go hiking, it is especially be important for you to know what plants are toxic for your dogs and what plant are safe to contact with.
Comments