Stone fruit pit (peach, plum, cherry, apricot)
ToxicStone fruit pits carry two separate hazards: crushed kernels release hydrogen cyanide, and a swallowed intact pit is an obstructing foreign body. Pitted ripe flesh is fine.
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.
- Brick-red gums or mucous membranes
- Dilated pupils
- Difficulty breathing
- Poor coordination or balance
- Shock or circulatory failure
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
More about this food
A peach or cherry pit is dangerous in two unrelated ways, and confusing them costs time in an emergency. Chemically, the kernel inside the shell contains amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside that releases hydrogen cyanide when the kernel is chewed or crushed. Cyanide blocks cytochrome-c oxidase, so cells cannot use oxygen even though the blood is carrying it. The ASPCA lists peach, plum, apricot and cherry as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, noting that stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanide and that wilting plant material is especially toxic — which matters if you prune a fruit tree and leave the branches where the dog can reach them. Mechanically, an intact pit is a hard round object that obstructs the gut and fractures carnassial teeth.
The timelines differ sharply. Cyanide moves fast: signs can begin 15 to 60 minutes after a kernel is crushed, with brick-red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, labored breathing and panting, ataxia, shock and seizures. A pit swallowed whole is usually an obstruction problem instead, surfacing over 12 to 72 hours as vomiting, appetite loss and abdominal pain. It takes several crushed pits to produce cyanide signs in a medium-sized dog, but that is not arithmetic to do at your kitchen table.
Call your veterinarian immediately if a pit was chewed or swallowed, even with no symptoms yet. Brick-red gums or respiratory distress means go to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital now. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is at (888) 426-4435, 24/7, and can advise while you drive. Do not induce vomiting: a hard pit can injure the esophagus coming back up, and cyanide toxicosis is not something home treatment reverses. The fruit itself, pitted and in moderation, is safe.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog swallowed a peach pit whole. Is that a cyanide emergency?
- Usually not a cyanide one, because the shell has to be broken for the kernel to release cyanide. It is an obstruction concern instead. Call your vet now with your dog's weight so they can decide about imaging, and watch for vomiting, appetite loss and abdominal pain over 12 to 72 hours.
- He crunched several cherry pits. What do I watch for?
- Crushed kernels are the cyanide scenario. Look for brick-red gums, dilated pupils, panting or labored breathing, and wobbliness starting 15 to 60 minutes in. Do not wait for those signs to appear: call the ASPCA APCC at (888) 426-4435 or head to an emergency clinic now.
- Are peach and plum flesh safe as treats?
- Yes, ripe flesh with the pit fully removed is safe in moderation. Keep the pits, stems and leaves away from the dog, and clear pruned branches out of the yard, since wilting stone-fruit foliage is specifically flagged as toxic.