This dog blog will answer the major question, “Can dogs eat acorns off the ground?” we will also discuss the major threats of consuming acorns, what you can do if your dog ate acorns, and how to prevent your dog from eating acorns.
Can dogs eat acorns off the ground?
No, dogs cannot eat acorns off of the ground. It is not safe and healthy for your dog to eat acorns because it can cause constipation, intestinal obstruction, and stomach upset in your dog. You should keep an eye on your dog when your dog is exploring your garden. The most common season in which the acorns are on the ground is autumn.
What are the major threats to consuming acorns for your dog?
Following are the major threats of consuming acorns for your dog:
Choking
The hard outer shell of the acorns is very difficult for your dog to consume. If your dog has consumed too many acorns then it can lead to choking which is not healthy for your dog. Choking can be very dangerous as the expanded esophagus can put pressure on the trachea, which can cause a respiratory collapse in your dog.
The trachea is compressed due to compression of the esophagus. Following are the major clinical signs of choking in your dog:
- Head towards the ground
- Pawing at head
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Unable to vomit
Intestinal obstruction
The next thing is the intestinal obstruction in your dog. Intestinal obstruction is very painful because it is the major pathway of digestion and absorption in the body. Following are the major clinical signs of intestinal obstruction in your dog:
- Loss of appetite
- Distended abdomen
- Painful abdomen
- Vomiting
- Little to no feces
- Pawing at abdomen
- Lethargy
- Weakness
The only solution to intestinal obstruction is surgery. The acorns should be removed from the intestine of your dog to treat your dog.
Toxicity
The next problem is toxicity in dogs. Consuming acorns can cause toxicity in dogs. Following are the major clinical signs of toxicity in your dog:
- Excessive drooling
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Dilated pupils
- Increases heart rate
Constipation
Consuming acorns can cause constipation even if your dog consumed a little amount. It is due to the compound called tannins in it. The tannins can absorb all the water from the intestine leading to dehydration in the body. This dehydration is responsible for constipation in the body of your dog.
If your dog consumed something that has tannins, you wouldn’t see any salivation in your dog.
Stomach upset
The next problem is stomach upset in your dog because of the digestion of the hard shell of the acorns. Following are the major clinical signs of stomach upset in your dog:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Abdominal pain
What can you do if your dog ate acorns?
The first thing you should do is not panic. This will happen because there is a greater risk of dogs consuming acorns.
You should analyze the condition of your dog. You should gather data about how many acorns your dog has eaten, and the signs and symptoms your dog is showing.
After analyzing the condition of your dog you should go to the vet. You should explain the incident to your vet and see what he tells you. You should act according to the advice of your vet.
When you visit your vet you have to give a complete history related to your dog. After that, your vet will go for a series of tests. This will tell the vet what is the problem with your dog.
After that, your vet will go for treatment of your dog. If your dog has recently ingested acorns your vet will go for inducing vomiting in your dog to remove the undigested acorns. The best agent is activated charcoal.
You shouldn’t induce vomiting with activated charcoal without the supervision of your vet otherwise, it will have serious consequences.
Your vet will also go for fluid therapy on your dog to dilute the toxins in the body of your dog.
How can you prevent such conditions in your dog?
In the autumn season, you should keep an eye on your dog while it is playing on the ground or in the yard.
You should also keep your dog inside the house so it didn’t come across any of the acorns.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten something you should isolate your dog and observe it for 24 hours to see any abnormal signs in it.
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question, “Can dogs eat acorns off the ground?” we also discussed the major threats of consuming acorns, what you can do if your dog ate acorns, and how to prevent your dog from eating acorns.
