Can dogs eat Brazil nuts?

A shelled Brazil nut is about 3 to 4 cm (1.5 in) long and wedge-shaped. That is large enough to lodge in the throat of a small or medium dog, or to get stuck further down the gut. In their hard, angular shells they are even more awkward.

Brazil nuts are often mixed into nut bags and Christmas nut bowls.

Brazil nuts are about 66 percent fat, and a single nut has around 33 calories. For a 5 kg (11 lb) dog, three nuts are a meaningful share of its daily energy. High-fat snacks can cause vomiting, diarrhea and, in prone dogs, pancreatitis.

For a comparison, a whole Brazil nut carries about as many calories as three or four small dog biscuits.

Brazil nuts are one of the richest natural sources of selenium. A single nut can contain more than an adult person needs in a day. Dogs need small amounts of selenium, which their complete food already provides. Regular Brazil nut treats could push intake too high.

Bowls of mixed nuts in shells often sit at dog height over the holidays, along with nutcrackers and shell fragments. Many mixes include walnuts and pecans, which carry mould risks, and sometimes macadamias. Keep them on a high surface.

Count what is missing and check for other nuts in the mix. Watch for vomiting, gagging, belly pain, lethargy and loss of appetite. Small dogs that swallowed a whole Brazil nut should be seen promptly.