Plum
CautionRipe plum flesh is fine in small amounts with the pit out. The pit, leaves and stems carry cyanogenic glycosides, and a plum pit is small, round and slick — exactly the shape a dog swallows whole and then obstructs on.
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.
- Intestinal blockage
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea
- Dilated pupils
- Difficulty breathing
- Brick-red gums or mucous membranes
- Panting
- Shock or circulatory failure
More about this food
Plums are a pit problem. The ASPCA lists plum (Prunus spp., family Rosaceae) as toxic to dogs, noting cyanogenic glycosides found in some species, with stems, leaves and seeds containing cyanide and being particularly toxic in the process of wilting. The clinical signs it lists are brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting and shock. Ripe flesh is not on that list — Pet Poison Helpline, covering the same genus, puts it as all parts other than the ripe pulp around the seeds being considered toxic.
What makes plums trickier than peaches is the size of the pit. A plum stone is small, round and slippery, which is the exact profile a dog swallows without chewing. Pet Poison Helpline notes that if a pet swallows the whole pit without chewing and breaking it open, poisoning is not expected, but that stomach upset and a potential gastrointestinal foreign body may follow depending on the size of the pet and the number of whole pits ingested. If you have a plum tree, that last clause is the whole story — windfall fruit means a dog eating several plums whole and swallowing several stones in one sitting.
A crushed pit is the other scenario. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that signs of acute cyanide poisoning generally appear within 15 to 20 minutes to a few hours, and that survival after the onset of signs is rarely more than two hours. Because cyanide blocks cells from using oxygen, the gums can look bright red while the dog is gasping.
If your dog swallowed or chewed pits, note the weight, the number, and the time, then call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Repeated vomiting, retching, abdominal pain or no stool passing means obstruction until proven otherwise. Do not induce vomiting at home. For the flesh, pit it, cut it small, and stop at a couple of pieces — plums are high in sugar and acid. Prunes are worse: the sugar is concentrated and the laxative effect is strong.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog swallowed a plum pit. Will he get cyanide poisoning?
- Pet Poison Helpline says poisoning is not expected when a pit is swallowed whole without being chewed open. The concern is obstruction — plum stones are small, round and easy to lodge. Call your vet with your dog's weight and how many pits were eaten.
- He ate plums that fell from the tree. What should I do?
- Call your vet. Windfall plums get swallowed whole, so several pits may be in there, along with wilted leaves and stems, which the ASPCA flags as the most toxic state. Then clear the fruit under the tree daily.
- Can I give prunes for constipation?
- No. Dried plums concentrate the sugar and hit hard as a laxative, which usually means diarrhea rather than a fixed problem. Constipation is worth working through with your vet — water intake, diet, exercise, and underlying disease.