Can dogs eat macadamia nuts?

Updated 2026-08-07 · Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database; ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets · Free · No sign-up

No — macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. Call your vet or poison control today, even if your dog seems fine.

If your dog may have eaten something harmful, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right now — don't wait for symptoms. A consultation fee may apply to the ASPCA hotline.

Verdict for dogs	Toxic
Severity	4 / 5 — Serious — call your vet or poison control today.
Safe amount	None
Category	Nuts
Source	ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database; ASPCA Animal Poison Control — People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets · reviewed 2026-08-07 · confidence: high

Why

The ASPCA lists macadamia nuts as toxic to dogs: weakness (especially in the back legs), incoordination, depression, vomiting, tremors and overheating. Signs usually appear within 12 hours and most dogs recover in 24–72 hours with veterinary care. The toxic principle is still unknown, so there is no known safe dose.

Signs to watch for if your dog has eaten macadamia nuts

Weakness, especially in the back legs
Wobbliness or inability to stand
Vomiting
Tremors and a raised body temperature — usually within 12 hours

Signs vary with the amount and with the individual pet, and some appear only after a day or more. Their absence does not mean your dog is in the clear — call rather than watch.

What to do now

Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 straight away. Tell them what your dog ate, roughly how much, and when, and take the packaging with you. Don't wait for symptoms — with several poisons the harm is done before a pet looks ill.

Never induce vomiting and never give any medicine unless a vet tells you to. With some substances it causes more damage than the poison. This page tells you when to get help — it never tells you how to treat at home.

Safer alternatives for dogs

Plain baby carrots or carrot sticks
Plain cooked chicken breast — no skin, no bones, no seasoning
A few blueberries or a slice of apple with the core removed
Plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
Plain green beans, fresh or frozen

What about cats?

There is no established finding for cats and macadamia nuts — ask your vet rather than assuming it's the same.

Verdicts are transcribed from the cited veterinary sources, never inferred. Where a source establishes a finding for one species only, the other species is left null and the page says to ask your vet — a dog finding is never copied onto a cat.

This page is a reference, not veterinary advice or a diagnosis. CanMyPetEat is a reference, not veterinary advice or a diagnosis. It tells you when to get help — never how to treat at home. Never induce vomiting or give any medicine unless a vet tells you to. Individual pets vary and toxicity guidance changes; your vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center are the authority.