Can my dog eat plums?
Can dogs eat plums?In moderation
Only the flesh, stone removed, in small pieces; the stone is dangerous.
Yes, dogs can eat plums in small amounts: the flesh of ripe plums is fine once the stone and stalk have been removed. The stone can get stuck in the throat or intestine, and the kernel, stalk and leaves contain hydrogen cyanide precursors. Because of the sugar and fibre, even slightly larger amounts can cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
How many plums can your dog eat?
Enter the weight – the amount updates straight away. You can adjust age, activity and neutering below.
How the calculator works
- Daily requirement: Resting energy requirement 70 × 15 kg^0.75 ≈ 534 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 855 kcal.
- Treat allowance: at most 10% of that = 86 kcal for all treats combined.
- Calorie limit: 86 kcal ÷ 46 kcal/100 g = 187 g of plums.
- Guide value for dogs 10–25 kg: 3 × teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed) at 5 g each = 15 g (guide value from the source).
- Recommendation: the smaller of the two, rounded down to half portions → 3 × 5 g = 15 g ≈ 7 kcal.
Sources: 10% rule from the WSAVA guide to treats · kcal value: USDA FoodData Central. Daily requirement as in the dog calorie calculator.
Result · 15 kg · Adult
Up to 3
× teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed) on a snack day
(≈ 15 g, 7 kcal)
How often: Rarely, and only in small pieces as an occasional snack – not every day.
Treat allowance 86 kcal (10% of 855 kcal) · 1 teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed) ≈ 5 g
Limited by: guide value
Here the guide value for dogs 10–25 kg sets the limit (guide value from the source): at most 3 × teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed). In terms of calories, up to 187 g would be possible.
According to PetMD (vet-reviewed): less than 1 teaspoon (up to approx. 9 kg), about 1 tablespoon (approx. 14–23 kg) and about 2 tablespoons (approx. 23–41 kg) of finely chopped plum.
This applies if it's the only snack that day – if your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
The app calculates recipes in grams, kcal and portions to suit your dog's weight, age, activity and allergies.Plums for dogs: amount by weight
| Weight | Maximum per snack day | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 1 teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed)≈ 5 g | ≈ 2 |
| 10 kg | 1 teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed)≈ 5 g | ≈ 2 |
| 20 kg | 3 × teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed)≈ 15 g | ≈ 7 |
| 30 kg | 6 × teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed)≈ 30 g | ≈ 14 |
| 40 kg | 6 × teaspoon of plum (finely diced, stone removed)≈ 30 g | ≈ 14 |
- All snacks together no more than 10% of daily calories (WSAVA recommendation). If your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
- Guide value per weight class – small up to 10 kg, medium 10–25 kg, large over 25 kg: According to PetMD (vet-reviewed): less than 1 teaspoon (up to approx. 9 kg), about 1 tablespoon (approx. 14–23 kg) and about 2 tablespoons (approx. 23–41 kg) of finely chopped plum.
Emergency note
Swallowed a plum stone?
A swallowed plum stone is above all a foreign-body risk: it can get stuck in the throat or block the intestine. How much hydrogen cyanide is released depends on how many stones your dog has eaten and whether it chewed them. Call your vet, and don't try to make your dog vomit yourself.
Possible symptoms
- Gagging or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea, or straining with little or no stool
- Lethargy and weakness
- Difficulty breathing or heavy panting
- Dilated pupils
- Brick-red mucous membranes
When to see a vet?
Call your vet straight after your dog has swallowed a stone – especially promptly with small dogs and if several stones were swallowed or chewed. If there is gagging, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing or obvious abdominal pain, go to your vet or an animal hospital immediately.
In an emergency: call your vet or an animal hospital
Outside opening hours, an emergency vet service or an animal hospital can help. Note down the amount, the time and the packaging, and don't try to make your dog vomit yourself. Poison information centres mainly advise on poisoning in people and only help with animals when they have capacity – the first point of contact for your dog is your vet.
What's in it
- Contains fibre, vitamins A and C, and potassium.
- Around 46 kcal per 100 g – a teaspoon of diced plum provides only about 2 kcal.
- The flesh contains only small amounts of hydrogen cyanide precursors – unlike the kernel, stalk and leaves.
What to watch out for
- The stone can cause choking or an intestinal blockage.
- The kernel, stalk and leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, from which hydrogen cyanide forms; more of it is released when the stone is bitten through.
- More than a few small pieces can cause vomiting or diarrhoea because of the fibre.
- Over time, the sugar can contribute to weight gain; if your dog has a sensitive stomach, it's better to leave plums out altogether.
- Prunes are even higher in sugar and can cause flatulence and tummy trouble.
- Under plum trees, dogs can easily get at fallen fruit, stones and all.
How to prepare plums
How to do it
- Wash the plum, halve it and remove the stone and stalk completely
- Cut the flesh into small, bite-sized pieces
- Start with one or two pieces and keep an eye on your dog's stools and behaviour
- Dispose of stones straight away, out of your dog's reach
Better not
- Whole plums with the stone still in – never
- Prunes as treats
- Sweetened plum compote or plum butter
- Leaving your dog unsupervised under a plum tree
How often?
Rarely, and only in small pieces as an occasional snack – not every day.
Frequently asked questions about plums
Can my dog eat plums with the stone in?
No. The stone can get stuck in the throat or block the intestine, and the kernel contains hydrogen cyanide precursors. Always remove it completely before your dog gets a piece.
My dog has swallowed a plum stone – what now?
Call your vet and watch your dog closely. Warning signs of an intestinal blockage are vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy and no stools being passed. Don't try to make your dog vomit yourself.
Is plum flesh toxic too?
No. Hydrogen cyanide precursors are found mainly in the kernel, stalk and leaves; the flesh contains only small amounts. With the stone removed and in small amounts, it is considered safe.
Can dogs eat prune plums?
Yes. Prune plums botanically belong to the plums (Prunus domestica), so the same rules apply: stone removed, in small pieces and only rarely.
Can dogs eat prunes?
Better not. Prunes are even higher in sugar than fresh plums and, because of all the fibre, can cause flatulence and tummy trouble. If your dog snaps up a dropped prune with the stone removed, usually nothing happens.
Can my dog eat plums every day?
No. More than a few small pieces can cause vomiting or diarrhoea, and over time the sugar encourages weight gain. Plums are a rare snack.
How many plum stones are dangerous for a dog?
There's no safe number. Even a single stone can get stuck in the intestine, and the risk is greater in small dogs. How much hydrogen cyanide is released depends on the number of stones and whether they were chewed. So call your vet in every case.
Do plums help with constipation in dogs?
Don't give plums deliberately as a laxative. Too much fibre quickly leads to diarrhoea, and straining without passing any stool can also point to an intestinal blockage – in that case your dog needs to see your vet.
What should I do if my dog eats fallen fruit under a plum tree?
Keep your dog away from it, because dogs often eat the fruit stone and all. Pick up fallen plums regularly. If your dog has eaten plums with the stones, call your vet.
Similar foods
- In moderationFruitPeachFresh flesh without the stone, stalk and leaves, in small pieces.See the answer
- In moderationFruitCherryOnly a few, without stones or stalks; stones, stalks and leaves are toxic.See the answer
- In moderationFruitNectarineOnly the flesh in small pieces; the stone must always come out.See the answer
- YesFruitAppleWithout the core, seeds and stalk, cut into slices or small pieces.See the answer
- YesFruitPearRipe flesh without the core, seeds and stalk, cut into small pieces.See the answer
- YesFruitBlueberryFresh or frozen, washed and without sugar, in small amounts.See the answer
Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Plums? – PetMD (vet-reviewed)
- Toxic and Non-toxic Plants: Plum – ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Cyanide Poisoning in Animals – Merck Veterinary Manual
- Ingestion of Foreign Bodies in Dogs – VCA Animal Hospitals
- Vergiftung beim Hund: Richtig helfen – aber wie? (Presseinformation 30/2012) – Bundestierärztekammer
- Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can't Eat – American Kennel Club (AKC)
- Plums, raw (SR Legacy, FDC 169949) – USDA FoodData Central (kcal value)
- Feeding treats to your dog – WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee (10% rule in the calculator)
Reviewed on · DoggoMeal editorial team
This page is no substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with pre-existing conditions – for example of the kidneys, liver or pancreas, or with diabetes – and dogs with allergies often need their own rules. If your dog has symptoms or you're unsure, ask your vet.
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