Can Dogs Eat Chestnuts?
In moderation. Edible chestnuts, roasted or boiled, peeled and unsalted, aren't toxic and can be given in small pieces now and then. Horse chestnuts (buckeyes), the ones found in parks, are toxic: never.
What it gives your dog
The edible sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is very different from other nuts: it's low in fat (about 2 g per 100 g) and high in starch, with about 200-245 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), plus fiber, potassium and some vitamin C. Cooked, it's easy to digest; raw, it has tannins and a hard-to-digest starch that can cause gas or diarrhea. The shell and the bitter inner skin don't digest, and the spiky burr can hurt their mouth and paw pads.
The biggest risk in fall is mistaking it for a horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), very common in parks and along streets; its North American relatives are known as buckeyes. Horse chestnuts contain aescin and other saponins, and the ASPCA considers them toxic to dogs: they cause vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain and, in severe cases, neurological signs. Their size can also cause an intestinal blockage. If your dog plays with them at the park, take them away.
How to serve it
- Only edible chestnuts, never horse chestnuts or buckeyes
- Roasted or boiled, with no salt
- Peeled: no shell and no inner skin
- In small pieces and lukewarm, not hot
- Never candied chestnuts (marrons glacés) or sweetened chestnut spread
How much can they eat?
Small dog (under 10 kg / 22 lb): half a chestnut (about 5 g) in small pieces. Medium (10-25 kg / 22-55 lb): 1-2 chestnuts. Large (over 25 kg / 55 lb): 2-3 chestnuts. Occasionally, in season, and within the 10% of daily calories set aside for extras (each roasted chestnut is about 20 kcal).
Risks
- Horse chestnuts and buckeyes: toxic
- Raw: gas and diarrhea
- Shell and burr: blockage and wounds
- Whole chestnut in small dogs: choking
- Candied chestnuts and sweetened chestnut spread
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell an edible chestnut from a horse chestnut?
The edible chestnut has a pointed tip or small tassel at one end, is usually flat on one side, and its burr is covered in fine, very dense spines. The horse chestnut is rounder and glossier, with no tip, and its husk has thick, widely spaced spikes or almost none. Horse chestnut leaves are palmate, like an open hand.
Can dogs eat raw chestnuts?
Better not. Raw chestnuts contain tannins and a starch that dogs digest poorly, and they can cause gas, tummy pain or diarrhea. Whole and hard, they can also choke a small dog. Roast or boil them, peel them well, remove the inner skin and cut them into small pieces.
What happens if my dog eats a horse chestnut?
They may have vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain and lethargy in the following hours and, in severe cases, tremors or neurological signs. Because of its size, it can also get stuck in the intestine. Call your vet even if your dog seems fine: treatment is simpler when it starts early.
General information reviewed against veterinary sources. If your dog has eaten something that worries you, call your vet or a 24-hour emergency vet right away, without waiting for symptoms.