Can Dogs Eat Hazelnuts?
Not recommended. Hazelnuts aren't toxic like macadamia nuts, but they're round, hard and just the right size to choke a small dog or block their intestine, and they're also very fatty.
Why it's dangerous
A hazelnut is 1.5-2 cm (about 3/4 inch) across, round and hard, and dogs usually swallow it whole. In small dogs it can get stuck in the throat or esophagus, and if they eat several, it can lodge in the intestine. Hazelnuts have about 60 g of fat and over 600 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), among the fattiest nuts, so a handful can cause vomiting, diarrhea and, in prone dogs, pancreatitis. In the shell, the risk of blockage is even higher.
Like other nuts, poorly stored hazelnuts can carry molds with aflatoxins, which damage the liver. And they almost always come into the house in chocolate hazelnut spreads, pralines, filled chocolates or chocolate bars, which are dangerous because of the chocolate before the hazelnut. In fall, watch out outdoors too: dogs that roam under hazel trees can eat fallen nuts, still in the shell and sometimes moldy.
Is any amount safe?
There's no recommended amount. One plain shelled hazelnut in a large dog usually causes nothing, but it adds nothing their food doesn't already provide, and the choking risk isn't worth it.
Risks
- Choking in small dogs
- Blockage of the esophagus or intestine
- High fat: diarrhea and pancreatitis
- Aflatoxins in moldy hazelnuts
- Chocolate hazelnut spreads, pralines and chocolate bars
Frequently asked questions
Are hazelnuts toxic to dogs?
They don't contain any substance known to be toxic to dogs, unlike macadamia nuts. The problem is mechanical and fat-related: they're just the right size to cause choking or a blockage, and they're very fatty. That's why we don't recommend them, although a single stray hazelnut usually isn't an emergency.
Can my dog eat Nutella or hazelnut spread?
No. Hazelnut spreads contain cocoa, sugar and oil, and cocoa contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. If a large dog ate a spoonful, it's usually not serious, but if they emptied half a jar or they're a small dog, call your vet with their weight and the label.
My dog ate a hazelnut in the shell. What should I do?
Keep an eye on them for two or three days: check that they eat, poop normally and don't vomit. A single in-shell hazelnut usually passes without trouble in a large dog. In a small dog, or if they ate several, call your vet, because the shell is hard and can get stuck.
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.