Can Dogs Eat Onions?
No. Onions — raw, cooked or powdered — damage dogs' red blood cells and can cause anaemia. Small amounts eaten over days can add up, and onion powder in gravy, stuffing and baby food counts too.
Call your vet with an estimate of how much was eaten. If it was recent, the vet may make your dog vomit; blood tests a few days later show whether anaemia is developing.
Call your vet or a 24/7 animal poison line now: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661
- What makes it harmful
- N-propyl disulfide and related sulfur compounds
- Harmful amount
- Problems are reported from about 0.5% of body weight in onion at once (roughly 50 g for a 10 kg dog), and smaller amounts repeated over days
- Signs appear
- Stomach upset within a day; anaemia often appears 1–5 days later
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting
- Pale gums
- Weakness and tiredness
- Fast breathing
- Red or brown urine
Why
Cooking does not destroy the harmful compounds, and dried onion powder is more concentrated than fresh onion. Leeks, shallots and chives belong to the same plant family and act the same way.
Sources
General information checked against published veterinary sources. Every dog is different — ask your vet before changing its diet, and call them if it seems unwell.