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My 8 kg spaniel is eight weeks pregnant and ate a small piece of pear including the core and seeds — is the seed cyanide a danger to her developing puppies?

Dogs · Food safety

Last reviewed: 2026-09-05 · Reference ranges: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline & Merck Veterinary Manual

Short answer

The amount is unlikely to cause harm. A few pear seeds contain trace cyanide compounds, but the quantity in a small core is too low to reach a toxic dose in an 8 kg dog — and the mother's body will metabolise it before it affects the puppies. Still, remove cores and seeds from all future servings and feed only the flesh in small bite-sized pieces. Watch for any vomiting or soft stool over the next 24 hours and call your vet if anything seems unusual.

Pear — Food safety facts

Feed with care · Dogs · full breakdown on the linked food page

Flesh is safe. Remove the core and seeds — seeds contain cyanide compounds.

Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Feed with care), so the notes below hold for either pet.

Pear is not poisonous to dogs, but it is easy to over-feed. Rich fat, salt or seasoning can bring on vomiting or diarrhoea within a day, and repeated large portions are a recognised trigger for pancreatitis.

If it ate some before you noticed, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or a painful, swollen abdomen over the next 24 hours. A one-off small amount in a healthy adult usually passes with water and rest; repeated exposure, a puppy or kitten, a senior, or a pet with an ongoing illness is a reason to call your vet the same day.

Why these cautions matter

Stone-fruit pits and some seeds release cyanide when crushed, and quite apart from that they are a choking and blockage hazard.

Pear can turn up now and then, but not as a daily habit: keep the rest of the day's food unchanged and watch the next walk and the stool that comes with it.

The full verdict, portion guidance and serving notes are collected on the Pear food facts page.

Open the full food page: Pear food facts →