are plums ok for dogs

Question
my dad asked me to find out if plums are ok for dogs

i have two Cavies and a tree out the back that keeps dumping its plum things on the ground and Chester the older cavie will not leave them alone and i need to know if i should do a 3 hourly plum ordit and pick them all up

thanks shelly

Answer
Hi Ryan,

Thanks for writing to me about your dogs and their attraction to plums.  

Plums are dangerous for dogs.  The seeds of plums, as with many other fruits, contain cyanide.  This is not something you want your dogs to eat because in quantity it is fatal.

Additionally, the pits of plums can form an obstruction which can lead to the need for major surgery or death if not caught in time.

Instead of running outside every three hours which will not guarantee that your dog won't still get hold of some plums, why not construct a wire fence around the tree or put some kind of netting under the lower branches?  Prevention is the best recourse.

Best of luck,

Shelley Davis