Onion Toxicity in Dogs

Pet parents would want to ensure the health of the pet to extend its 12 or 15 years life span. Pets would be provided with highly nutritious foods, supplements and vitamins. Commercially prepared foods would not be enough as owners would give the pet home cooked meals. Owners mean well but some human foods are unsafe for the pet. Some foods safe for people to consume would poison the pet. Dogs must not be allowed to eat onions as this human food is toxic to dogs.

Dogs would suffer from poisoning by eating raw, cooked or dishes that have onion as an ingredient. This pungent bulb used to improve the taste of dishes contains the substance thiosulphate. Dogs do not have the enzyme necessary to digest onions thus these human-safe foods become poisonous to dogs.

Onion’s toxicity will depend on the amount ingest by the pet. A big bowl of onion rings will be wolfed down by the dog in an instant as these pets have the tendency to eat very fast. Large quantities of onions consumed by the dog in one meal would have immediate fatal effects. Toxicity will build up if the dog regularly ingest small amounts of onions thus symptoms of poisoning would be seen after a few days.

Dogs that eats onions can have allergies and liver damage. Vomiting and the frequent passing of watery stool occurs if the dog ingests onions. Others can have asthma attacks. The most dangerous effect of onions in dog is Hemolytic anemia. This condition that is also known as Heinz body anemia can have a fatal effect on dogs as it affects hemoglobin. Hemoglobin in the red blood cells is responsible for distributing oxygen from the lungs to the different cells in the body.

The dog would succumb to onion toxicity as it does not have the enzyme necessary to metabolize thiosulphate thus this substance would have the dangerous effect of oxidizing hemoglobin. This substance will cause bubble-like clumps to form in the red blood cells. The Heinz bodies, as the bubble like clumps are called, will burst thereby causing the red blood cells to be destroyed prematurely. The bone marrow has the function of repairing damaged red blood cells but the bone marrow’s function will be ineffective if the red blood cells destruction is massive. Due to the massive destruction, the red blood cells would not be able to deliver the amount of oxygen needed by the vital organs of the body.

Dogs are not picky eaters thus it would not be necessary for the pet owner to enhance the taste of the dog’s food with onions. Onion or no onion, the pet will appreciate the cooking of momma.

While you now have some knowledge about onion toxicity in dogs. There is still much to learn about dogs and onions. Not only that, but how about dogs and bananas, popcorn, nuts, garlic, ham or honey? Find out more about foods toxic to dogs at Sarah’s Dogs?