Macadamia Nuts

[Oliversmum]

Hi All,

I thought I'd just put a quick post up about the dangers of Macadamia Nuts to dogs. I'm sure many already know of the toxicity of these to dogs, but for those who aren't aware, I thought I'd post my experience today.

A client came in with her American Staffy today presenting with a staggering gate and the dog appeared to be losing his ability to use his back legs. Apparently he went outside this morning for his usual play in the yard and when he came back in, he was having problems using his back legs, standing and didn't have very good control of his back legs. He appeared to almost be drunk and staggered.

Originally it was thought that he may have injured his back, he had no obvious signs of pain in either legs and we were about to do an xray when the owner said that her OH had given him a handful of Macadamia Nuts late last night. Bingo! Prognosis appears to be good and he should be back to normal in 24-48 hours but, it could have been worse.

"The toxic compound is unknown but the affect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.

Dogs have been affected by eating as few as six macadamia kernels (nuts without the shell) while others had eaten approximately forty kernels. Some dogs had also been given macadamia butter.

Luckily, the muscle weakness, while painful, seems to be of short duration and all dogs recovered from the toxicity. All dogs were taken to their veterinary surgeon."

I thought I'd just post this just in case as I've never seen a case of this before.

[Skruffy n Flea]

thanks shells

i'd read about this before and i take the view to steer clear of all nuts to be on the safe side...

i'm glad your client's dog recovered well

[Kirislin]

I would love to grow a macadamia nut tree at home but I cannot for this very reason. My dogs would eat the nuts, I am sure.

[moosepup]

I had to take Moose to emergency after he had eaten a couple of macadamias (they had been dropped on the floor and we thought we'd picked them all up). I presume he'd eaten them the night we dropped them (but possibly the next day) but I didn't notice anything wrong with him until the next afternoon when I got home from work. He was shaking (more than his usual Chihuahua shakes), ears back, very unhappy and I found a vomit that had nuts it. Emergency gave him some charcoal and an anti-vomiting injection and he was fine. Very scary though.

[crazywhips]

I have had a whippet who needed to have surgury to remove one from his stomach. Fine one day, next day throwing up after eating and walked like he had stomach cramps. Hopefully never again.

[MsKatie]

OUr staffy x got into a block of macadamia nut chocolate (typical - has to go the whole hog ) and he was shaking and his back legs gave out on him within 12 hours - spent the night in the vets trying to flush it out - luckily he was Ok but it was very scary

[noisymina]

We have 20+ Macadamia trees here.

Our Wei used to pick up the nuts, de-husk them, crack them with her teeth and enjoy.

Seeing it takes so much effort to actually get to them, I guess she didn't get very many and certainly not morfe than 2 or 3 at a time.

She lived until she was about 16 wthout a glitch. Never did her any harm.

Except the need to occasionally lever a shell off one of her teeth for her.

No doubt a whole handful at once could cause a problem, but just a few trees in the yard are not a reson to get too worried. We only ever had that one dog that worked out how to access them.

Kaisie will "steal" them when the guys are cracking them if she can, but they are not about to let her do that. Too much effort to just to let the dog have them.

[Burkes]

Oh, I had no idea they were toxic for dogs. I learn something new every day on this site.

So I know about onion and chocolate. Anything else?

[noisymina]

Oh, I had no idea they were toxic for dogs. I learn something new every day on this site.

So I know about onion and chocolate. Anything else?

Grapes/Sultanas

Apple cores (seeds)

[Cazwah]

Thanks for posting Shellsboers! I'm always keen to hear stuff like this- would rather not have to learn it first hand, you know?

[Burkes]

Apple cores!!! Whoops, I give the dogs an apple all the time

[noisymina]

Raw potato.

[percyk]

thanks for posting///id forgotten about macadamia nuts

not that we have them in the house..but it is good to be reminded

[Isabel964]

Thanks for posting about this - I had NO idea!

[shmoo]

So I know about onion and chocolate. Anything else?

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=...59&aid=1030