As a dog lover, you always want your dog should have good health and hence you make sure they get enough exercise, proper food, and love and attention. But as careful as you may be with your pup, accidents can happen. One such accident is your dog getting into your food stash and eating onions. As we all know Onions are one of those things that we use in most dishes to have good taste. But have you thought that onions can be toxic to dogs, even in small amounts? And now If you are wondering Can a Small Amount of Onion Hurt My Dog? read on to find out more.
Will A Small Amount Of Onion Hurt My Dog?
The amount of onion needed to cause harm to your dog depends on their size and weight. However, even a small amount of onion can be dangerous to dogs. For example, if your dog weighs 10 pounds, eating only half an onion can cause onion poisoning.
What Makes Onions Toxic To Dogs?
- Onions are like garlic, leeks, and chives which belong to the Allium family.
- These plants contain “thiosulfates” that can harm your dog’s red blood cells and can cause hemolytic anemia. which means the red blood cells are destroyed quicker than the bone marrow can create them. This results in a lack of oxygen in your dog and can be fatal.
Symptoms Of Onion Poisoning In Dogs
It depends on how much your dog has consumed onion and the symptoms of onion poisoning in dogs can take several hours to appear. common symptoms are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Pale gums
- Rapid heart rate
- Dark urine
How Much Onion Is Toxic To Dogs?
It depends on size and weight, but any amount of onion can be harmful to your dog and a toxic quantity is typically around 5 grams of onion. For example, if your dog weighs 10 pounds, eating only half an onion can cause onion poisoning.
Other Foods To Avoid
Not only onions harm your dog’s health also other foods include:
- Chocolate
- Grapes and raisins
- Avocado
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
Toxicity Levels In Different Onion Types
Onions are like garlic, leeks, and chives which belong to the Allium family. These vegetables cause illness in your dog. However, the toxicity levels in different onion types can vary.
- Raw Onion: Raw onions contain N-propyl disulfide, which damages your dog’s red blood cells and leads to hemolytic anemia. Symptoms of hemolytic anemia include weakness, lethargy, pale gums, and dark urine.
- Baked Onion: Baked onions are often included in many different recipes, including casseroles and stews. Baked onions have been cooked at a high temperature, which can further reduce the amount of N-propyl disulfide in the vegetable. However, it is still important to limit your dog’s consumption of baked onions, as they can still be toxic in large quantities.
- Onion Powder: Onion powder is a common ingredient in many different processed foods. This can include dog food, so it is important to read ingredient labels carefully. Onion powder can be particularly dangerous, as it is much more concentrated than raw or cooked onions. A small amount of onion powder can cause illness or toxicity in dogs.
Medical Treatment For Onion Toxicity in Dogs
- The first step in treating onion toxicity in dogs is to induce vomiting if the ingestion occurred within the last two hours.
- And inducing vomiting is not recommended if the dog is not active, unconscious, or has breathing difficulties.
- Activated charcoal can also be administered to absorb any onion that may have remained in the gastrointestinal tract.
- If the ingestion of onion occurred more than two hours ago, treatment for the symptoms of onion toxicity may be required. The veterinarian may administer intravenous fluids to flush out the toxins from the dog’s system and prevent dehydration.
- A blood transfusion procedure may be needed to replace damaged red blood cells in a few severe cases.
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Preventing Your Dog From Ingesting Onion
- Keep onion and other human foods out of reach of your dog.
- Alert your guests and family members not to feed your dog any human food, especially onion.
- Read ingredient labels and avoid feeding your dog any food that contains onion or onion powder.
- First, concern your veterinarian if you are feeding home-cooked meals to ensure that the ingredients are safe for dogs.
How To Treat Onion Poisoning In Dogs At Home
- If you noticed your dog has eaten onions, and if you suspect your dog is not active like before call immediately to your veterinarian. If you are unable to get to the veterinarian right away, there few first-aid procedures you can try for a temporary solution.
- First, try to induce vomiting, by giving one spoon of hydrogen peroxide mixed with water. If your dog does not vomit within 15 minutes, do not give it again.
- Once your dog has vomited, give them activated charcoal to help absorb any remaining toxins in the body. You can get activated charcoal at most pet stores. Give your dog one teaspoon of activated charcoal per 10 pounds of body weight.
- Keep an eye on your dog and monitor if is there any signs of anemia, such as pale gums, weakness, and difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these signs, you should consult your dog with the veterinarian immediately.
Homemade Treat Recipes Without Onion
It is our responsibility to make sure we are giving safe and healthy treats. Good If you are preparing homemade treats for your dog you will be knowing what ingredients to add, here are a few examples of homemade treats without including onion.
- Carrot Treats: Carrots are rich in vitamins A, K, and fiber. Fiber helps with digestion also a low-calorie snack for dogs.
- Peanut Butter Treats: Most dogs like peanut butter treats, and this gives them a tasty treat without any harmful ingredients also Peanut Butter Treats have protein and healthy fats for dogs but make sure to have good quality butter that should not have sugar or xylitol, which can be toxic to your dogs.
- Pumpkin Treats: Pumpkin is another healthy option for dogs. Pumpkins are good in vitamins A and C, fiber, and beta-carotene, these help in immune function.
FAQ
What to do if dog ate small piece of onion
If your dog ate a small piece of onion, the first thing you should do is call your veterinarian. They will suggest you for the next procedures.
If you are unable to get to the veterinarian right away, there few first-aid procedures you can try for a temporary solution.
First, try to induce vomiting, by giving one spoon of hydrogen peroxide mixed with water. Once your dog has vomited, give them activated charcoal to help absorb any remaining toxins in the body. You can get activated charcoal at most pet stores. Give your dog one teaspoon of activated charcoal per 10 pounds of body weight.
What Happens If My Dog Eats Onion Every Day?
If your dog eats onions every day, they are at risk of developing onion poisoning. Onions contain a compound called N-propyl disulfide, which can damage red blood cells in dogs. which results in anemia, anemia reduces and damages the red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues in the body.
Are Cooked Onions Bad For Dogs
Cooked onions are often included in many different recipes, including casseroles and stews. Cooked onions have been baked at a high temperature, which can further reduce the amount of N-propyl disulfide in the vegetable. However, it is still important to limit your dog’s consumption of baked onions, as they can still be toxic in large quantities.
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