Dog Ate An Onion Ring

My Dog Ate Onions – What to Do?

Depending on how much onion your dog ate, there are action steps to take. If your dog only ate a few slices of onions, then there may not be any further treatment necessary. For example, if your dog ate a pizza with a few slices of onions. Or, if your dog ate a few onion pieces that accidentally dropped on the floor as your were chopping onions.

However, even with consumption of a small amount of onions, dog owners should observe their canine pets closely for any symptoms. Ingesting small quantities of onions won’t usually do much, however there can always be exceptions.

In the case that your dog accidentally ate a large serving of onions, then there are steps you may want to highly consider. Also, I should note that large dogs can consume more onions than smaller dogs before showing symptoms. Regardless, all dog breeds can be affected from onion toxicity.

The best and quickest way to get onions out of your dog is to induce vomiting. This is not something any dog owner wants to do, but is necessary in some cases. The quicker you do this, the more onions (and toxins) you will be able to get out. Do this as soon as your can.

To induce vomiting in your dog, simply push the “button” on the back of their throats until they start to vomit. I must warn you this is a very unpleasant experience, but it’s better than letting them potentially suffer more later.

The best way to absorb the poison in onions before your dog’s body does is by using activated charcoal. Yes, you heard right. Dogs won’t be very eager to eat activated charcoal, so try to do your best.

If you don’t have any activated charcoal lying around, there is another way. Grab some bread and put it in the toaster. Try to toast the bread until it becomes a charred dark black. The more charred, the better. Not surprisingly, dogs aren’t very eager to eat this severely toasted piece of bread.

If you can quickly get to your local vet, the second step can sometimes be skipped. But whether you go through the first two steps or not, you should end up taking your dog to the veterinarian. Your veterinarian will take all the necessary steps to fully flush out the rest of the toxins in your dog’s stomach.

In extreme cases or prolonged exposure to onion toxicity, the animal hospital will have different measures of treatment for that. Most of a time for severe cases, a blood transfusion and/or therapy for liver will be required of the dog. The possibility of the development of Anemia may require constant monitoring and care.

Your dog will be exhausted, especially if they had to go through the steps necessary to expunge the stomach of onion toxins. This means that it is not the greatest idea to take them out for runs and whatnot.

Make sure they stay hydrated with plenty of water in their system. It helps with their recovery from any foreign poison and toxin. Your vet should have further instructions for recovery based on your specific case. Don’t worry, your dog will be completely fine in no time!

Dogs: Alternatives to Eating Onion

Although it’s true that onions are not something dogs should eat, there are many safe vegetables your dog can eat and benefit from. Here is a list of just a few vegetables that are great for dogs to eat from time to time. Make sure to always research on whether a dog can eat a specific human food before feeding them to your dog.

Cucumbers are nice, refreshing vegetables your dogs can eat on a hot sunny day. Not only are cucumbers perfect in keeping your dog hydrated, but they are packed with a ton of vitamins like Vitamin K. The K vitamin is responsible for keeping your dog’s bone density strong and healthy. The most important part is that they aren’t toxic to dogs, like with onions.

Another healthy vegetable for dog with even more Vitamin K is celery. Although celery are safe for dogs to eat, there specific preparations necessary before feeding them to dogs. Pro-tip: celery can be used as a natural floss to help clean the junk stuck in your dog’s teeth.

Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables. There is no exception for your dog. Broccoli is loaded with all types of vitamins and minerals that your dog can certainly benefit from. They can help your dog with bone density, promote a healthy heart, battle diseases, reduce cholesterol and be used as anti-inflammatory.

Like with vegetables, there are a ton of great fruits for dogs to eat. From personal experience, dogs tend to like fruits better because they have more flavor and a sweet taste to them. Just to name a few, great fruits for dogs include:

Note: You should never feed your dog any grapes or raisins because like onions, they are toxic to your dog. Learn about why they are bad for dogs.

How Much Onion Can Kill a Dog?

No two dogs are the same so this toxic amount can be very variable and individual. A good rule of thumb to work with for dogs is approximately 5 grams of onion per kilogram body weight – or just under 1 ounce of onion per 10 pounds body weight. Some dogs may be a bit more resistant than those numbers might suggest, but it is safer to assume that any amount of onion is potentially a risk.

Generally, if a dog eats more than half a percent of their body weight in onion, they will develop toxicity if left untreated. In real terms, if a 66-pound (30 kg) Labrador ate 5 ounces (150 g) of onion or onion product – which is only the weight of one medium onion – he or she would be at risk of poisoning.

Remember that any part of the onion plant can be toxic, and it is still toxic if cooked (think onion rings, for example). The effects can also accumulate if a dog is fed smaller amounts of onion over a few days. Watch out for onion powder, as this is commonly added to lots of processed foods.

FAQ

What should I do if my dog ate onion rings?

What happens if my dog eats a little bit of onion?