Home / Can Dogs Eat / Apricots
Only part of it, in small amounts. Apricot flesh in small pieces is the only part to share. The ASPCA lists the apricot tree among plants toxic to dogs because its pit, stems and leaves carry a cyanide compound.
Standards checked
Apricot is the one stone fruit in this series that the ASPCA names in its own right: its plant database lists apricot, and groups plum, peach and cherry under the same entry, in the listings for plants toxic to dogs. The toxic load sits in the pit, stems and leaves, which carry a cyanide compound, and the United States Food and Drug Administration independently names apricot among the Prunus trees in its pit warning. The flesh is not the problem; everything structural around the flesh is.
The kitchen rule mirrors the AKC's guidance for the apricot's peach relative: fresh flesh is acceptable in small amounts, and the pit is the part to keep away. Serve a ripe apricot washed, halved and stoned on a board, then cut into pieces sized for the dog. Because the fruit is small, the portion should be too; one apricot's flesh is a full serving for most dogs, and the sugar in stone fruit argues against seconds. Our plums guide covers the same cutting board discipline for the bigger fruit.
Drying concentrates everything, so a dried apricot carries far more sugar per bite than a fresh one, and dried fruit pieces are chewy enough to clump. Keep dried apricots as an ingredient in your food, not the dog's. Garden trees raise the other exposure: a dog grazing windfalls under an apricot tree can eat fruit, cracked stones and leaves together, which is the full ASPCA list in one mouthful. Rake windfalls in season, and fence young trees until the habit is trained out.
Leaves, stems or chewed pits are the call your veterinarian case, because those are the cyanide carrying parts, and the FDA notes the compound is released when pits are crushed. An intact swallowed stone is chiefly a blockage watch: vomiting, straining and appetite loss are the signs to act on. Either way, say which part was eaten when you ring, and check the emergency guide for the order of steps while you decide.
This page is general information drawn from the published guidance of the organisations listed under Sources below. It is not veterinary advice, and it does not replace your own veterinarian, who knows your dog. If your dog has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 straight away. A consultation fee may apply on the helplines.
Last updated: November 2026. Every verdict on this page was checked against at least two of the sources listed below. How we work: our methodology.
All food safety guides | My dog ate something toxic: what to do