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Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 09/22/2016Updated: 08/19/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
What are Peanut Butter Allergies?
Peanut butter is a widely known and delicious spread that many people use and enjoy within their diet. It has been known by dog owners that dogs enjoy peanut butter as well. Many dog owners do not hesitate to give the dog a taste of peanut butter as a treat or as an easy way for them to take any medications.
Peanut butter allergies occur in people quite often, as many are allergic to peanuts as well as other nuts. People with severe nut allergies often times must carry around an EpiPen if they were to ingest this nut in order to avoid anaphylactic shock.
Although peanut butter is a tasty treat and many dogs do love the taste, there are some dogs that may be allergic to peanut butter. Sadly, many dog owners find that out after giving them a spoonful, as many dogs begin to develop mild, moderate, and even severe allergies right away. Peanut butter allergies in dogs can are caused by dogs being allergic to the peanuts themselves.
Peanut butter allergies in dogs are the results of dogs being allergic to peanuts. If the nut butter also contains xylitol, the dog may become very sick, but this is not due to an allergy.
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Symptoms of Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
Symptoms of peanut butter allergies in dogs will vary; his symptoms may show up over time if he is fed peanut butter as a treat on a regular basis, or immediately, such as in the case of anaphylactic shock. Symptoms may include:
- Red and itchy skin
- Excessive licking of the skin
- Bald spots
- Hotspots
- Difficulty breathing
- Hives
- Swelling
- Collapse
- Agitation
Types
There are two types of peanut butter allergies in dogs. The type of allergy that your dog may have depends on your dog’s immune system and tolerability of peanut butter and peanuts alone. The two types of peanut butter allergies are:
- Atopic dermatitis, or skin allergies
- An anaphylactic type immediate response
The types of allergies your veterinarian may want to test in order to come to a definitive diagnosis of a peanut butter allergy include:
- Plant allergy, such as pollen
- Inhalant allergy, such as mold
- Food allergy from another type of food ingredient
- Dust allergy
Causes of Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
Causes of peanut butter allergies in dogs are from your dog ingesting peanut butter, either in small amounts regularly or a one-time amount. Specific causes of peanut butter allergy in dogs include:
- The chemical known as histamine which fights the allergen
- A hypersensitive immune system to the ingredients in peanut butter
- Untreated histamine response to the peanut butter causing anaphylactic shock
Diagnosis of Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
If you suspect your dog is having an allergic reaction to a specific food, namely peanut butter, make an appointment with your local emergency veterinarian before it becomes too severe. If you are unsure that your dog is having a peanut butter allergy, your veterinarian may choose to perform specific types of tests in order to come to a definitive diagnosis.
For many types of allergy symptoms, veterinarians tend to wait on specific allergy testing, but if he knows that you are feeding him peanut butter from time to time for treats or in order for him to take any medications, he may want to go ahead and perform an allergy test since a peanut butter allergy can turn into a severe situation, such as in anaphylactic shock.
Your veterinarian may perform blood testing, urinalysis, and biochemistry profile to rule out any other underlying illnesses. He will also ask you a variety of questions about your dog’s diet, agents in which he comes into contact with on a regular basis, how often he has an allergic reaction, and any other questions that will help him come to a diagnosis.
Your veterinarian may choose to do a skin test on your dog to identify a specific allergen, or perform a type of allergy test on your dog which includes a tiny amount of a specific allergen, in this case peanut butter, to your dog’s skin. Your veterinarian may also choose to do blood testing to determine this type of allergy.
Treatment of Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
In terms of treatment, the only type of treatment that is effective is the avoidance of peanut butter altogether. This is the one thing that will help your dog recover from a peanut butter allergy. Temporary treatment methods may include:
Topical Creams
If your dog suffers from irritated or inflamed skin from the peanut butter allergy, your veterinarian may choose to apply an antihistamine or other healing, topical cream to your dog’s skin to allow it to heal. Once the peanut butter is removed from his diet, the skin condition will clear up, so these topical medications will only be temporary.
Antihistamines
Your veterinarian may give you a prescription for an antihistamine for your dog if he is having difficulty breathing due to ingesting peanut butter. This type of treatment is solely symptomatic and depends on the severity of your dog’s ability to breathe.
Emergency Treatment
In the rare case that your dog has a severe allergy and goes into anaphylactic shock. your vet may administer medicine such as steroids and adrenaline. Your dog may also require oxygen and intravenous fluids. Dogs are hospitalised until recovered.
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Recovery of Peanut Butter Allergies in Dogs
Once you have discovered that your dog is suffering from a peanut allergy, do not feed him peanut butter or peanuts in any form. Avoid all treats or foods that contain peanuts or peanut butter; your veterinarian may also recommend that you avoid nuts altogether.
If your veterinarian chose to perform specific allergy tests, he may have found that your dog is allergic to other items in addition to peanut butter. If this is the case, remove these items from your dog’s diet immediately unless he has been safely consuming them before testing (false positives are common).
Once your dog is home from the hospital, in the case of a severe peanut butter allergy, or home from the veterinarian’s office visit, be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions on how to care for your dog at home. He will also alert you to any other symptoms you need to watch out for, including any side effects from an antihistamine or steroid if this medication was given to your dog. If you have a prescription for an antihistamine or a topical ointment, be sure to follow the instructions carefully on how to administer the medication properly.
Peanut Butter Allergies Average Cost
From 323 quotes ranging from $200 - $800
Average Cost
$400
Top
Peanut Butter Allergies Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Labrador Retriever
Ruby
2 Years
28 found this helpful
28 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Heavy Panting
Heavy Panting, Excessive Linking
I let my lab lick the empty peanut butter jar out. She's done this lots of times. Shortly after she did this today...she puked just a little. Now is licking her lips and pants excessively, could this be some weird reaction?
June 28, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
28 Recommendations
There is quite a bit of fat in peanut butter, and it isn't good for dogs in large amounts. If you had low fat peanut butter, it may have xylitol, and she should see a veterinarian right away, as that is toxic to dogs. Otherwise, she may just have an upset stomach, and it may resolve. If she continues to pant and be nauseous, it would be best to have her seen by a veterinarian.
June 29, 2018
Was this question and answer helpful?
German Shepherd, collie mix
Marcellus
2 Years
11 found this helpful
11 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Swollen Face
Puffy Eyes
Itchy Face
My dog has had peanut butter milk bones before and had no allergic reaction. However today he had a few almonds and cashews from a trail mix bag that was surrounded by peanuts(he didn't eat any of the actual peanuts), and his whole face swelled up. It has been a little over 10 hours since we started giving him benadryl and have done two doses but it doesn't seem to help the swelling. He is 45 lbs by the way. Is this bad for his face to be swollen? It isn't affecting his breathing or eating/drinking. Is there any other home remedies to help? Is it normal for a dog to get this swollen for this amount of time over peanut dust on a few almonds?
June 1, 2018
11 Recommendations
Dogs may develop allergies to foods which they have always eaten in the past, also processed products containing nuts may be different after processing; nut allergies are in fact rare in dogs. However, you should continue giving Benadryl at 1mg/lb up to three times per day; there isn’t anything I can recommend that is available over the counter and would suggest visiting your Veterinarian for an examination and to control the swelling with something more effective than Benadryl. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 2, 2018
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Peanut Butter Allergies Average Cost
From 323 quotes ranging from $200 - $800
Average Cost
$400
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Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
