Macadamia nut
ToxicDog-specific poisoning with an unknown toxic principle. Signs are reported from 2.4 g of nuts per kg — about 10 to 12 nuts for a 22 lb dog — producing hind-limb weakness, ataxia and hyperthermia within 12 hours.
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
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
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.
- Hind-leg weakness
- Poor coordination or balance
- Reduced activity and responsiveness
- Vomiting
- Tremors
- Overheating
- Joint pain
- Abdominal pain
More about this food
Macadamia toxicosis is one of the odd corners of veterinary toxicology: the toxic principle is still unknown, yet the syndrome it produces in dogs is consistent and well documented. The classic presentation is hind-limb weakness — the dog sits down, wobbles, or drags the back legs — combined with ataxia, depression, vomiting, tremors, hyperthermia, joint pain and abdominal pain. It looks like acute neurological or spinal disease, which is exactly why it gets misdiagnosed when nobody knows nuts were eaten.
Signs are reported from 2.4 g of nuts per kilogram of body weight. For a 22 lb (10 kg) dog that is about 24 g, roughly 10 to 12 nuts; a 7 lb dog can reach it on three or four. Onset is within 12 hours, and the syndrome resolves on its own over 12 to 48 hours, with ASPCA reporting recovery in 24 to 72 hours.
Proportion matters here. In nearly all reported cases macadamia ingestion has not been fatal, and the prognosis with supportive care is good. This is not grape or xylitol, where organs fail on a clock. But it is also not a watch-and-wait event at home: an owner seeing hind-limb collapse for the first time cannot tell macadamia toxicosis from intervertebral disc disease, and hyperthermia needs managing on its own.
Call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 as soon as you know nuts were eaten. Give the dog's weight, the number of nuts or grams, and the time. Veterinarians generally consider inducing emesis above 1 to 2 g/kg, but that is a clinical decision made at the hospital — do not induce vomiting at home with salt or hydrogen peroxide.
One more thing specific to the holidays: chocolate-covered macadamias stack two toxins in a single bite and are a recurring December emergency. There the chocolate's methylxanthine dose usually drives triage first, so bring the box and its label with you.
Frequently asked questions
- How many macadamia nuts are dangerous for a dog?
- Signs are reported from 2.4 g of nuts per kg of body weight, which is roughly 10 to 12 nuts for a 10 kg dog. A 3 kg dog can reach the same threshold on three or four nuts.
- My dog's back legs gave out after eating nuts.
- Hind-limb weakness with ataxia is the signature of macadamia toxicosis and it appears within 12 hours. It also mimics spinal disease, so tell the clinic about the nuts and go in now.
- Are macadamias fatal to dogs?
- Nearly all reported cases have not been fatal and recovery with supportive care takes 12 to 48 hours, sometimes up to 72. That is a reason to seek care calmly, not a reason to skip it.