Help! My Dog Ate Onion

Updated June 6, 2021

Emergency care (details below)

What To Do If A Pet Eats Onion

  1. Toxin absorption can be prevented by immediately seeing a vet to induce vomiting
  2. If onion has been absorbed then daily blood tests are needed to monitor anaemia
  3. Please see a vet even if the amount seems tiny: pets vary in sensitivity and the toxic dose is low

now dive deeper…

Onion ingestion is the third most common poisoning vets see in Adelaide. Like so many pet poisons, onion is a trap we accidentally lay for our pets.

Cooking and leftovers are the problem. Raw onion advertises its toxicity so well that no self-respecting dog or cat would eat it. Add a bit of heat, some other ingredients, and suddenly it’s nice and tasty without the unpleasant warning flavours that keep our pets safe.

How Much Onion Is Dangerous?

For most dogs, as little as 2.5g of onion per kilogram of body weight can produce serious effects. That equals only 15g in a Jack Russell Terrier. Similar results have been observed with garlic, and it’s probably the same for related vegetables.*

Two essential facts:

  1. All dogs who eat onion should be made to vomit as susceptibility varies.
  2. Exposure is cumulative. The lower line on the graph at the top shows how slowly dogs recover. Any more onion in this period will add further damage and increase risk.

*The study (link below) used 5g/kg of dehydrated onion, which is probably equivalent to cooked onion. An equivalent amount of fresh onion would be heavier. Some of the dogs developed life-threatening anaemia so the hazardous dose is clearly lower; I have arbitrarily chosen half.

Is Garlic Toxic To Pets?

Yes. Experience tells us that the entire onion family is dangerous. That includes:

  • All onion varieties
  • Garlic
  • Leeks
  • Spring onions
  • Shallots
  • Even chives

Why Are Onions Poisonous?

Isn’t it strange that humans can happily eat onion but many other animals can’t. The reason is quite unexpected: it’s all about antioxidants.

Onion, whether cooked or raw, contains sulfur compounds that cause oxidative damage. The red blood cell in dogs and cats has a low antioxidant capacity. Put these together and disaster ensues.

That means that when dogs or cats eat onion, the red blood cells undergo chemical attack. Two serious consequences arise:

  1. Haemoglobin (the molecule that carries oxygen) is deactivated
  2. Cell walls are ruptured and red blood cells are destroyed

The result is anaemia and a reduced ability to deliver oxygen to the body.

Symptoms Of Onion Poisoning

Signs of onion poisoning typically appear after 1 to 3 days when the anaemia develops. They include:

  • Lethargy
  • Weakness
  • Laboured breathing
  • Pale gums
  • Collapse

You might also notice red urine and yellow eyes from pigments released by the destruction of red blood cells.

Treatment Of Onion Poisoning

Dogs that have eaten onion within the last hour can be treated simply by making them vomit. After this time it’s likely that some will have been absorbed.

If so, vomiting may still be worthwhile followed by a dose of activated charcoal. However, there is no antidote for the toxin that reaches the bloodstream.

These dogs need daily monitoring via blood tests. Some will need oxygen support or transfusions but the good news is that most will recover uneventfully.

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

Note: Dog owners should consult a local vet immediately for any quantity consumed. I am unable to comment further on whether certain amounts are toxic.

Further Reading

Common dog & cat poisons of Adelaide

Harvey, J. W., & Rackear, D. (1985). Experimental onion-induced hemolytic anemia in dogs. Veterinary Pathology, 22(4), 387-392. Full text

19 Replies to “Help! My Dog Ate Onion”

  1. I fed my dog a small piece of carrot chip with onion dip on it to my dog today. Will she be ok or should I get her to the vet?

    1. Hi Katherine. Sorry that’s hard to say – it depends on what exactly ‘small’ means, the body weight of your dog, as well as the onion content in the dip.

  2. Hello my 19wk old Yorkie puppy that is 3.4lbs ate a very skinny half inch to an inch piece of an onion that fell on the floor. It’s been almost 13hours and she seems to be acting normal. Should I worry?

    1. Hi Amanda. By now all you can do is watch closely for pallor or lethargy, but she should be OK. If it happens again, definitely get it vomited up straight away as the effect is cumulative over successive days and you have a very small dog.

  3. I have a pitty and she ate a small cooked piece while i wasnt looking and she isnt my dog shes my sisters

    1. Hi Nikolas.The information in the article should help you know if the amount will require veterinary attention.

  4. Our 9month off cocker- jack ate a tiny piece of spring onion on Monday and has been lethargic yesterday and today – no sickness of other symptoms that we can see – do you think she needs to go to the vets?

    1. Hi Emma. Yes, but mostly because you know something is wrong, not necessarily due to the onion. Good luck.

  5. hi,

    i have a shihtzu and i was chopping onions, garlic and carrots last night.

    i fed a little bit of carrots to my dog and today she’s been acting strange. she hasn’t been her active self and i keep hearing her tummy.

    i’m freaking out!

    1. Unless you gave her onion the cause may be something else. It’s best you get a check up with your vet.

  6. hi, I have been feeding my dog (retriever of 40lb) cooked chicken, rice and carrots/broccoli with little amount of garlic and onion for a whole month now. I don’t see any symptoms or anything unusual yet and his pee and poop seems to be fine. I stopped adding the garlic and onions after I know about it. Should I get him checked at the vet. He does get tired easily though.

  7. My dog ate fish boiled with onion the following day she is very weak and had pale gums dont like to eat called home service vet she said its ok and its due to her old age since she is 16yrs old and that she only had an indigestion and onion is not the cause .
    its already a week but still my dog is very weak and gums very pale.

  8. I made a small piece of steak and onions for my dinner at 6:00pm. I gave my Cavalier a few little pieces of the steak but no onions. The flavor and juice of the onions were on the little pieces that she ate. About 11:00pm she started with diarrhea just once, now she is sleeping. I called my Vet and she said to just monitor her for any changes.
    Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Lorraine. While I wouldn’t recommend doing it again, the amount that you describe is extremely unlikely to cause any problems. Follow the advice and see your vet tomorrow if she isn’t back to normal. You can always call back if she gets worse.

  9. Michelle you should get him to a vet within 2 hours, and ideally within 30 minutes to induce vomiting. It’s unlikely he’ll be allergic to the garlic, but it’s certainly a serious toxin. if you miss the chance to get it out, take him for a visit to your vet tomorrow.

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