My dog ate macadamia nuts.
How serious?
Macadamias are the one common nut with a published dog-specific toxicity threshold. Fatalities are rare, but signs are dramatic. Chocolate-covered nuts: run the chocolate calculator too, the coating is often the bigger problem.
Wobbly hind legs, tremors, or chocolate-covered nuts? Call 855-764-7661Published threshold (dogs)
Signs are reported from as little as about 2.2 g of nuts per kg of body weight: hind-limb weakness, tremors, vomiting, fever, and joint stiffness, usually within 12 hours. That is roughly 11 nuts for a 22-lb dog. Macadamia toxicosis is rarely fatal and most dogs recover within 24-48 hours with supportive care.
Why the chocolate coating matters more
Chocolate-covered macadamias combine two toxins, and the theobromine in dark chocolate coatings frequently crosses its own thresholds before the nuts do. Weigh the coating separately in the chocolate calculator.
What NOT to do
Do not dismiss wobbliness as tiredness; it is the signature sign. Do not induce vomiting in an already-weak or trembling dog without professional direction.