Are hawthorn berries poisonous to dogs?

The hawthorn plant (Crataegus) is listed as non-toxic to dogs by the ASPCA, and a few ripe berries are generally harmless. The caution is about quantity, the seeds, and dogs with heart conditions.

What about the seeds inside hawthorn berries?

Like apple seeds and other Rosaceae pits, hawthorn seeds contain cyanogenic compounds. A couple swallowed whole are unlikely to matter; a dog crunching through a large pile of berries is the scenario to avoid.

My dog is on heart medication — does hawthorn matter?

Yes, mention it to your vet. Hawthorn is a well-known cardioactive herb used in heart supplements, so regular grazing could stack with cardiac medication. Best to keep those dogs away from the bush.

My dog ate berries off the ground on a walk — now what?

A handful of ripe berries usually means nothing worse than a soft stool. Watch for repeated vomiting or unusual tiredness, and call your vet if either shows up or if your dog has a heart condition.

Can Dogs Eat Hawthorn Berries? Vet-Sourced Answer

Can Dogs Eat Hawthorn Berries?

Feed with caution

A few ripe berries are fine — the plant is listed as non-toxic. The pits carry the apple-seed problem, and hawthorn is heart-active.

Quick facts

Quick facts
Verdict	Caution
Risky amount	No safe or toxic dose is established — treat any amount as a risk.
Key symptoms	Vomiting, Diarrhea, Drooling, Abdominal discomfort after gorging
What to do	If your dog gorged on berries pits and all, or is on heart medication and has been grazing a hawthorn bush, call your vet for advice.

Mostly harmless — with two footnotes

Hawthorn (Crataegus) sits on the ASPCA’s non-toxic list for dogs, and the red autumn berries are a classic hedgerow snack many dogs sample without incident. A few ripe berries are not a problem. The caution flag exists for two specific reasons, not because the fruit itself is dangerous.

Footnote one: the pits

Hawthorn belongs to the same family as apples and cherries, and its seeds carry the same cyanogenic compounds as apple seeds and cherry pits. A couple of berries swallowed whole pass through uneventfully; a dog methodically stripping and crunching a laden bush is eating a lot of seed material plus a lot of fruit, and that’s when vomiting, drooling and diarrhea show up. Interrupt the buffet.

Footnote two: the heart connection

Hawthorn is one of the best-known cardioactive herbs — its extracts appear in human and veterinary heart supplements precisely because they affect heart function. For a healthy dog, berry-level amounts are a non-issue. For a dog on cardiac medication, regular hawthorn grazing is an interaction question your vet should hear about, and the simple answer is to keep those dogs away from the bush.

If your dog gorged, treat it like any berry binge: water, watchfulness, and a call to the vet if vomiting repeats.

If your dog ate it

If your dog gorged on berries pits and all, or is on heart medication and has been grazing a hawthorn bush, call your vet for advice.

In the US you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply).

Frequently asked questions

Are hawthorn berries poisonous to dogs?: The hawthorn plant (Crataegus) is listed as non-toxic to dogs by the ASPCA, and a few ripe berries are generally harmless. The caution is about quantity, the seeds, and dogs with heart conditions.
What about the seeds inside hawthorn berries?: Like apple seeds and other Rosaceae pits, hawthorn seeds contain cyanogenic compounds. A couple swallowed whole are unlikely to matter; a dog crunching through a large pile of berries is the scenario to avoid.
My dog is on heart medication — does hawthorn matter?: Yes, mention it to your vet. Hawthorn is a well-known cardioactive herb used in heart supplements, so regular grazing could stack with cardiac medication. Best to keep those dogs away from the bush.
My dog ate berries off the ground on a walk — now what?: A handful of ripe berries usually means nothing worse than a soft stool. Watch for repeated vomiting or unusual tiredness, and call your vet if either shows up or if your dog has a heart condition.