Cashew butter tastes just as good as peanut butter. Thus, having one stored at home shouldn’t come as a surprise. It can be tempting to share such products with our dogs as pet owners. But should you share it? How will it be for our dogs?
So, you may ask: Can dogs eat cashew butter? The short answer is Yes. Dogs can eat cashew butter, but only in small amounts. Although it doesn’t contain anything toxic to dogs, it can be harmful if you give more than a couple of spoons. You can let your pet have a taste or two, but don’t provide any more than that. You may give other kinds of nut butter as an alternative but always do so with caution.
As pet owners, we want to ensure our pets eat only the proper food for them. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cashew butter and its effects on our dogs. This way, you can ensure your pet is safe as it enjoys the treats we love now and then.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Contents
Is cashew butter safe for dogs?
Cashew butter is one of the many safe products to share with your dogs. Still, since it’s more of human food, it remains a treat and not a regular part of your pet’s meal.
Cashew butter is safe for dogs because it doesn’t have any toxic components for our pets. In general, this product contains only cashews, salt, and sugar.
These main components don’t pose a threat to our dogs in small amounts. However, it can cause some health issues if taken in large servings.
For instance, cashews can be a great source of proteins and fats. While protein is necessary and tolerable in large amounts, the cashews’ fats can pose a problem.
On the other hand, salt and sugar aren’t also toxic items for dogs. Still, it’s also not essential, and these things can be harmful in large amounts.
As a general rule of thumb, always consider cashew butter as a special treat once in a while. Moreover, don’t make it a part of your pet’s regular diet.
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How much cashew butter can a dog eat?
Cashew butter has components that can cause issues if eaten in large amounts. Thus, if you plan on giving your pet some, it would be best to limit it to one or two spoons.
Moreover, the amount may depend on the type of cashew butter you will offer. Some cashew butter comes with a lot of additives and unnatural components. Such things can take a toll on your dog in the long run.
It would be best to offer only homemade cashew butter and not a commercial product if you can. This way, you can be confident your pet only eats products without chemicals.
Another thing is to make the product with lesser salt and sugar content. It would be better for your dog to have cashew butter with small salt and sugar amounts.
Another thing you can do is to avoid getting cashew butter in stores that are sugar-free. While it sounds better, most sugar-free products contain xylitol as the sweetener. Although it’s safe for us, it’s toxic for our dogs, even in small amounts.
For this reason, always make sure you read the contents and see if the cashew butter contains xylitol or not.
Risks of feeding your dog cashew butter
Cashew butter isn’t the safest seed butter option around. Thus, you should keep in mind that feeding such comes with risks. Understanding such risks can help you be more cautious when sharing this treat with your dog.
Cashew butter contains salt and sugar.
While salt and sugar aren’t toxic for dogs, these components can cause complications in large amounts.
It would be best to remember that salt and sugar are not much of a necessity in a dog’s diet. For this reason, dogs can survive without consuming such, and they can be at risk of complications if they eat a lot of it.
For this reason, it is better to give cashew butter only as a treat and not a regular part of their diet.
Cashews have too much oil.
Cashews used to make cashew butter contain too much oil. While it’s not toxic to dogs, it can be harmful in large amounts nonetheless.
If you give your pet cashew butter in large amounts, the oil in it can cause digestive problems such as an upset stomach or diarrhea.
Thus, it would be best not to give such a product regularly. It would be best to consider other nut butter options as an alternative if possible.
Avoid cashew butter with chocolate.
Although cashew butter is safe in small amounts, some products contain chocolate. The ones with chocolate can be lethal to dogs, so avoid giving such.
If you want to give cashew butter, make sure it has no chocolate mixed in it.
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Can dogs die from cashew butter?
It’s not likely that cashew butter would be a dog’s cause of death. Nevertheless, it’s not impossible, either.
For instance, if your dog eats cashew butter in large amounts, it can cause health complications. Such incidents can deteriorate if your pet remains unchecked. It can also make other issues worse if your pet already suffers from other health problems.
Another thing that can happen is that the cashew butter contains toxic ingredients for your pet. For instance, sugar-free cashew butter may contain xylitol, or some may have chocolate mixed in it. Such components can put your pet’s life at risk, even in small amounts.
In general, it’s not likely to happen as long as you are cautious and observant of your pet, especially when feeding such products.
Do dogs like eating cashew butter?
Dogs are curious animals, and they can eat anything they can reach. Thus, it’s likely to happen that they would also like the treats we love. Among these things is cashew butter.
Like peanut butter, cashew butter has that delicious smell that can be alluring to our pets. Moreover, the texture and taste of such would be delightful to them.
Still, it doesn’t mean that you can give your pet this product in large amounts just because your dog likes it.
As a pet owner, you should always limit your dog’s cashew butter treats to a spoon or two. If you give more than that, it may make your pet sick.
If you want to give a seed or nut butter treat, you may consider providing other alternatives.
What other nut butters are safe for dogs?
Besides cashew butter, you can offer similar products as an alternative. Among the list to consider are the following.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is the first on the list to offer. This classic spread doesn’t contain anything toxic as well. Thus, you can give it smeared into other snacks or plain and simple.
Still, be wary of sugar-free peanut butter, as they usually contain xylitol. As always, it would be best to offer homemade ones. Moreover, remember to give such treats in moderation.
Almond butter
Another kind of nut butter would be the almond variant. The only thing to note about almonds is that some dogs would find them difficult to digest. Thus, if you plan to give this product, consider giving a taste at first and observing how your pet will take it.
Give other options if your pet’s stomach gets upset, and continue if it doesn’t. As always, proceed with caution and moderation when giving any nut butter products.
Sunflower butter
Although sunflower butter isn’t a nut butter, it’s still a great treat you can offer to your pet.
The only thing to be cautious about sunflower seeds is their high oil fat content. While it’s something useful for dogs, it can be harmful in large amounts.
In general, the things you should consider when giving nut or seed butter are the following:
- Avoid products with high salt and sugar content.
- Avoid sugar-free products since it may have xylitol.
- Avoid nuts and seed butter with chocolate content.
As long as you keep such treats in moderation, your pet can enjoy this snack without any worries.
Is it okay for dogs to eat soy butter or salmon skin? Check it out!
Summary
Cashew butter is a great treat for our dogs, and it can be healthy but only in small amounts. Thus, if you have some at home, you can share a spoon or two with your pet without worries.
As a general rule of thumb, only give cashew butter and all kinds of nut butter if it’s homemade or if it doesn’t contain any chemicals. Avoid feeding sugar-free products since it may contain xylitol. Lastly, avoid providing these products if it has some chocolate.
You can give other kinds of nut butter as an alternative. However, it would always be best to proceed with caution and feed such things in moderation.
Resources
Image credits – Canva
[1] Oh My Veggies’ article on the benefits of cashew butter than peanut butter
