Can dogs eat plums?

Plum stones are roughly 2 to 3 cm (about 1 in) long and sharp-edged. Like other stone fruits, the stone, leaves and stems contain amygdalin. The bigger everyday risk is obstruction, especially for dogs under 15 kg (33 lb) who swallow a whole plum in one go.

Damsons, greengages and mirabelles carry the same risks.

Plum trees drop heavy crops in late summer, and dogs happily gorge on the fallen fruit. Rotting plums ferment and can produce alcohol, and they attract wasps that sting mouths and throats. A dog that has spent an afternoon under a plum tree may have eaten dozens of stones.

Collect fallen fruit daily during the season, or fence off the area around the tree.

Dogs who eat many fermented plums can appear wobbly or unusually sleepy, which is a sign to call your vet rather than wait for it to pass.

If you want to share, one or two slices of washed, stoned plum is plenty for a medium dog. Prunes are dried plums with concentrated sugar and a strong laxative effect, and are best avoided.

Wasps crowd around rotting plums, and dogs snapping at fruit on the ground are often stung on the lips, tongue or inside the mouth. Most stings cause short-lived swelling. A sting in the throat, or a dog that develops swelling of the face, hives or breathing trouble, needs to be seen by a vet straight away.