My Dog Ate an Apple Core! Here’s What to Do (Vet Answer)

Written and fact-checked by Dr. Olivia SpeightVet Approved

Reviewed & Fact-Checked byDr. Olivia SpeightBVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian)Dr. Olivia Speight is an experienced vet, currently working as a small animal vet at a charity hospital. Passionate about animal welfare, her other interests include soft-tissue and orthopaedic surgery which she continues to develop in practice.View authorThe information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Read about our vetsUpdated on October 29, 2026

Dogs eating odd things is not an uncommon event around the household. For many dogs, their mouth and their nose are their universes, and they are driven by curiosity to put things in their mouth. They will pull things out of the trash, eat interesting things on a walk and find all kinds of things on a kitchen counter if given an opportunity.

Many people have heard that apple cores are toxic because of the seeds. This is true, albeit on a very large scale of consumption. Your dog would have to eat a lot of apple seeds to put their overall health at risk. So don’t worry! If your dog ate an apple core, odds are they will likely pass it without incident.

About Apple Cores

Apple seeds contain a compound called amygdalin, which is converted to hydrogen cyanide when chewed or digested. While cyanide is toxic in general, it is not considered a problem at the level of the tiny amount in apple seeds.

Every plant-based food contains some naturally occurring ingredient that a dog’s liver will readily metabolize. According to ASPCA Poison Control, a medium-sized dog would have to ingest and literally chew up 85 grams of apple seeds to ingest a toxic amount. That equates to the amount (and ground-up seeds) of 200 apples. That’s a lot of fruit and belly ache of enormous proportions! As with most edible material that is ingested, their liver will break it down and metabolize it without incident.

So, can dogs eat apple cores? You can feed a sensible amount of apple cores with the seeds to your dog and cyanide levels won't be considered to be anywhere near a level to be concerned about.

dog with apple — Image Credit by: alexei_tm, Shutterstock

Can Dogs Eat Apple Cores?

Apples are actually a delicious treat and many dogs like to eat apples. If you do feed your dog apples, chop it up so that the segments are bite-sized pieces. Be careful that your dog does not choke on the core if you do feed them apples; hence chopping it into bite-size portions is ideal to avoid them inhaling the whole thing accidentally. Never allow them to eat a whole apple as this may lead to choking or getting it lodged in their esophagus. This can be a problem for dogs who don’t actually chew their food but swallow it instead.

Apples are a good source of insoluble fiber, and a small percentage of dogs may eat an apple or the core and develop GI upset as a result, most commonly diarrhea or softer stools than usual. This is typically self-limiting and will resolve on its own. You can continue to feed chopped apples incrementally over time, allowing the bacteria in her gastrointestinal tract to adjust.

Summary

The next time your dog rummages around for something great to eat, don’t sweat the apple core. They simply have an excellent palate and don’t like to waste food!

Featured Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock