Nutritional content of peanuts

It is true that peanuts contain a high-fat content, but other than that, they are loaded with vitamins and proteins. They contain vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and niacin, plus, other healthy fats that are beneficial to your dog’s health.

Which peanuts are safe for your dog?

If you are going to give your dog peanuts as a treat, ensure to use low-sodium peanut butter or unsalted peanuts.

This is because, too much salt can lead to sodium ion toxicosis, which is a salt poisoning condition.

Also, do not use almond butter, which is normally mistaken as being acceptable. Avoid feeding your dog treats that are made for humans, such as peanut butter cups and other sweet treats and chocolates as they can lead to accidental poisoning.

Moderation is the key

Just like everything else, when it comes to your dog and peanuts, moderation is key. Even though it is healthy, high doses can soon become unhealthy. Because they are high in fats, they can lead to obesity in your dog.

A dog’s body generally has a lot of difficulty in digesting fats, and when a high concentration is consumed, it can lead to digestive problems, stomach upsets, diarrhea and even vomiting. Severe cases of fat consumption can cause pancreatitis. This is an extremely painful condition for dogs.

The rule of thumb here is to ensure that you feed your dog in very small doses. Do not allow your dog’s daily calorie intake to contain more than 10% of peanut butter.

In fact, a small dog should not have more than ½ a tablespoon of peanut butter, while the big dogs should not have more than 1 tablespoon daily.

You can also talk to the vet about the amount that is safe to give your dog if you have some reservations.

Is your dog allergic to peanuts?

Just like humans, some dogs can be allergic to peanuts. The symptoms that will show your dog has had an allergic reaction will be; itchiness, redness, bald patches, scratching, etc.

If you happen to notice these signs just after feeding your dog some peanuts, rush him to the veterinarian immediately for first aid care.

What is xylitol?

This is a sugar alcohol substance that is normally used to sweeten some peanut butter, mint, chewable vitamins, gums, and ice creams.

This is extremely TOXIC to dogs.

If your dog consumes Xylitol, it will cause a significant drop in his blood sugar, and this level can even cause hypoglycemia.

How to take precaution

With the introduction of numerous nut butter products in the market, it is wise to always check the ingredients of the peanut butter you are about to buy for your dog.

Check for the chemical xylitol and opt for alternatives.

Read the ingredients carefully, and if you see “natural sweetener” anywhere in the bottle, this could be an indication that the peanut butter contains Xylitol.

Peanut recipes for your dog

Peanut butter cookies for dogs

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups of natural peanut butter.
  • ¾ cup of milk – you can use nut milk as well.
  • 2 cups of oat flour – this should be made of rolled oats in the food processor.
  • ¼ cup of tapioca flour – you can use any other type of flour here but the tapioca is great for a crumbly mixture.

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Use parchment paper to line 2 baking sheets.
  3. Cream the peanut butter for a few minutes – 2-3 minutes using a stand mixer.
  4. Add in the milk and keep mixing.
  5. Add in the flour ½ cup at a time.
  6. Turn it out on a parchment lined surface so you can roll out the dough.
  7. Roll out half the dough and cut into cookies. You can use simple shapes for this as the mixture will be crumbly by nature.
  8. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees in the oven for 15 minutes, or until it turns golden brown around the edges.
  9. Cool it in the oven for a few minutes.
  10. Store in an airtight container to preserve the crunchiness.

Peanut and banana ice cream recipe

Yield: 1 bowl of ice-cream.

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours 5 mins.

Ingredients

  • 1 large banana.
  • 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter.
  • 2 tablespoons of yogurt – this should be a non-dairy alternative or coconut milk.

Instructions

  1. You will need a blender for this recipe.
  2. Dice the ripe banana and keep in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
  3. After 4 hours, take out the frozen banana, and add it to the blender, add in the peanut butter and yogurt to the blender.
  4. Blend this at high speed until it is nice and smooth.
  5. You can sprinkle in some cookies, or just serve it the way it is to your dog.

Final say on dogs eating peanuts

Peanut butter is great and healthy for your dog, but as mentioned above, moderation is the key. Do not feed your dog too much peanut or peanut butter, no matter how sadly he will be looking at you.

Also, if your dog develops an allergic reaction, remember this is an emergency situation and it should be treated as such. Rush him immediately to the vet for care and management.