We know that there are specific types of food completely harmless to humans, but can be dangerous to dogs. Our bodies are not built the same way as theirs, so we have to be careful of the food that we feed our dogs. Most people know that chocolates are bad for our furry friends, but not everyone knows that onions are equally harmful. There are some compounds in onions that they can’t entirely digest and can lead to a stomach ache or worse.

Are Onions Bad for Dogs

ARE ONIONS TOXIC TO DOGS?

Each part of the onion is toxic to dogs, from the leaves, skin, flesh, as well as the juice. It also doesn’t matter if it’s cooked or raw. Cooking an onion doesn’t get rid of the disulfide compound, so it is just as harmful to your pet. Additionally, keep in mind that all kinds of onions⁠—white, yellow, red, or green⁠—are harmful.

Onions are a part of the allium family of plants. Alliums include chives, garlic, and scallions. All of these veggies are harmful to your dog. Garlic is even worse than onions as it has a greater concentration of N-propyl disulfide than onions and can endanger your dog’s health even quicker.

Remember that a lot of human meals include garlic and onion as a component. Even the slightest hint can be dangerous to your dogs, so avoid feeding them home-cooked meals with these ingredients to avoid any health complications.

HOW MUCH ONION CAN IT TAKE TO POISON A DOG?

The reason why onions and other alliums are harmful is that it isn’t necessary for your dog to ingest a whole lot for it to cause severe health problems. Generally, toxicity happens when a dog ingests around 100 grams of onion or more.

To put it simply, even just a little bit of garlic, onion, or other allium-related food can poison a dog immediately. Whether you have a large dog or a small pup, it’s not worth the risk of feeding your dog any food with onion as an ingredient.

INDICATIONS OF ONION TOXICITY IN DOGS

If your pet happens to eat a slice or even a chunk of onion, toxicity can immediately set in. However, it’s more common that symptoms appear a few days after they first ingested it. Also, it is possible for N-propyl disulfide to accumulate in the blood gradually in case your pet unknowingly eats small quantities of any allium-related food for a long period of time.

SIGNS OF TOXICITY

Indicators of onion toxicity include:

  • Loss of appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Elevated heart respiratory or rate speed
  • Pale gums
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Discolored urine

If left untreated, a dog experiencing onion toxicity might undergo kidney failure which may lead to death.

HELPING DOGS RECOVER FROM ONION POISONING

While onion poisoning can be deadly, recovery is not impossible. It’s highly likely that your pet can get better in time, as long as you monitor his meal intake and examine the ingredients of their food to avoid onion poisoning from happening again.

KEEPING YOUR DOG SAFE IN THE FUTURE

Are onions bad for dogs? Yes, they are one of the very dangerous human foods to our four-legged pals. It takes just a small amount to make a dog extremely sick.

Always make sure that any allium-related food is out of your pet’s reach. Pay careful attention if you bring home any processed meat like sausages or if you are preparing meals that have garlic, onions, chives, leeks, or shallots. The aroma can become tempting to your dogs, and they might try to snatch it away from you. It is advisable to keep your pet away from the kitchen at all times.

Onions are not the only vegetable available on the market that’s harmful to our canine pals. There are lots of fruits and vegetables which could affect their body negatively. That’s why you need to be certain that you do your research and understand what types of food are allowed or prohibited for your dog.