Apple seed (and core)
CautionApple seeds do contain amygdalin, but the amount per seed is tiny and the coat is tough, so a few swallowed seeds rarely cause cyanide toxicosis. Core the apple and skip the panic.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Check the precautions before sharing
Risk depends on preparation, ingredients or amount. Read the precautions below; body weight alone cannot establish a safe portion.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Brick-red gums or mucous membranes
- Difficulty breathing
- Poor coordination or balance
- Seizures
More about this food
Apple seeds are among the most over-stated entries in consumer pet-food databases, and getting the calibration right is the point of this page. The chemistry is real: apple seeds contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside that releases hydrogen cyanide if the seed is crushed or chewed. The quantities are not. Each seed carries only a trace, and the seed coat is tough enough that seeds swallowed whole typically pass through intact. Producing a meaningful cyanide dose would take a great many thoroughly chewed seeds, not the two or three that came off your lunch.
That is not a reason to feed them. The practical rule is the boring one: core and deseed the apple before it goes anywhere near the dog. The core is the more realistic hazard anyway, being a firm plug that can choke a dog or lodge in the gut. The same applies to pear seeds and quince.
A few swallowed seeds mean monitor, not emergency. Call your veterinarian without delay if your dog chewed through a large quantity of seeds, swallowed a whole core, or is small enough that the amount is hard to judge. If a true cyanide dose were involved, signs would appear within 15 to 60 minutes: brick-red gums and mucous membranes, labored breathing, wobbliness, seizures. That is an emergency-clinic situation, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 can advise 24/7. Do not induce vomiting at home in any of these scenarios; whether to empty the stomach is a veterinary decision.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate a couple of apple seeds. Should I go to the ER?
- Almost certainly not. A trace of amygdalin per seed plus a tough seed coat means a few swallowed seeds very rarely cause any problem. Monitor rather than rush. Call your vet or (888) 426-4435 if you see brick-red gums, labored breathing or unsteadiness.
- He swallowed the whole core.
- The concern here is the core as an object, not cyanide. It can choke a dog or obstruct the gut, particularly in small breeds. Call your veterinarian now with your dog's weight, and watch for vomiting, appetite loss and abdominal pain.
- Do pear seeds count too?
- Yes, pear seeds and quince seeds contain the same cyanogenic glycoside at similarly low levels, so the same calibration applies: no need to panic over incidental seeds, and no reason to offer them. Core the fruit and serve the flesh.