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Acorns and Dogs Don’t Mix

Keep puppies and dogs from eating acorns or drinking water with oak leaves in it.

By Jon Geller, DVM

Q. I have three dogs, a Border Collie-Australian Shepherd mix, a Border Collie and an Australian Shepherd. The mix has been eating dirt and acorns. The Border occasionally eats dirt or licks it, and eats acorns. The Aussie also eats acorns. I feed a good quality food, and they have water at all times. Any ideas? Are acorns harmful? Thanks for any information.

A.
Many people do not realize that acorns are toxic to dogs. The toxic principle is unknown, but they do contain gallotanins, a combination of gallic acid and tanic acid. Oak trees are very common and most people don’t have problems, but they are not the trees of choice to have in a backyard full of pets. Acorns, oak buds, leaves, and drinking water that acorns and oak leaves have soaked in, have all caused symptoms of oak poisoning.

Dogs have been poisoned by drinking water that oak leaves have soaked in. Two Chihuahua puppies were seen chewing on a couple of acorns. They developed a bloody diarrhea and their kidney values became markedly elevated. In spite of emergency treatment, they died of renal failure.

Acorns could potentially cause an obstruction of the intestines, but this would probably occur in a smaller dog.

If possible, minimize your dogs’ exposure to acorns, and be especially careful that their water bowl is not contaminated.

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Reader Comments
I do not know if I have done the right thing but... my 14 pound dachsund was eating an acorn. When I discovered her doing this I immediately induced vomitting using hydrogen peroxide with a child's med syringe (no needle of course). Within 5 minutes she vomited up whatever was in her system and it was all very foamy. She is now resting quietly in the sunshine. Please advise me if you think I ought to take her to an emergency vet clinic for liver values.
Diana, Providence, RI
Posted: 11/7/2009 8:26:08 AM
my dog is a border collie , he has been exposed to acrons but i dont think hes eating them. i now have a full blown cold and today i noticed my dogs eye is leaking a yellow pus , please help me t.y. gary
gary, tehachapi, CA
Posted: 10/25/2009 11:33:28 AM
I searched "are acorns poison to dogs" (and found this article) because my dachshund was violently ill yesterday and I found half an acorn in his vomit. He's okay now, he got it all out of his system (and on my carpet and furniture). He's never eaten anything that wasn't dog or human food before. I'm so glad he's okay!
Sarah, St Louis, MO
Posted: 9/16/2009 8:06:52 PM
Wow! I've heard of a lot of plants that are toxic to dogs in one way or another. But I didn't know about oaks. Makes sense, what with the tannin content. Thanks for the tip!
Pat, St Louis, MO
Posted: 10/15/2008 1:52:04 PM
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