Nov 27,2024 | puaintapets
Onions, a staple in human cooking, are unfortunately a serious threat when it comes to our canine companions. This combination is "deadly" not in an immediate and obvious way for every instance of ingestion, but the potential harm is significant enough to be considered so.
Even a small amount of onion can be harmful to a dog, especially smaller breeds. Given that dogs are often curious and may be tempted by the smell or taste of onions if they are within reach, it is crucial for dog owners to be aware of this danger. This awareness can be the difference between a healthy, happy dog and one that suffers from a potentially life - threatening condition due to onion ingestion. Understanding the relationship between onions and dogs is the first step in preventing such a dangerous combination from causing harm to our furry friends.
Dogs can't eat onions. Onions contain toxic ingredients such as n-propyl disulfide or propylene sulfide, which can oxidize your dog's red blood cells and form Heinz's microsomes, which can cause red blood cells to rupture and trigger hemolytic anemia. The following is a specific analysis.
Dogs consuming onions for 1 - 2 days may experience symptoms such as red or reddish-brown urine (hemoglobinuria), vomiting, diarrhea, depression, loss of appetite, and palpitations. In severe cases, this can lead to a drop in body temperature, coma or even death258.
For example, an adult dog weighing 15 - 25 kg that consumes a whole onion may develop symptoms such as severe anemia within a week.
Consuming small amounts of onions over a long period of time can cause chronic poisoning in dogs, which manifests itself as jaundice and anemia. In mild cases of poisoning, natural recovery can be achieved by stopping feeding onions; patients with severe hemolysis require medical intervention.
The toxic components in onions are heat-resistant. Even sautéed onions may cause dogs to have stunted, fragile and cracked bones, which may be relatively small in adult size and prone to osteoporosis and fractures.
Onions are irritating foods that can irritate your dog's respiratory tract, stomach lining and intestinal tract, and may also affect your dog's olfactory sensitivity.
Vomiting and diarrhea: compounds in onions may irritate your dog's gastrointestinal tract, leading to vomiting and diarrhea.
Anemia: Some of the chemicals in onions can destroy your dog's red blood cells, leading to anemia. This may show up as weakness, fatigue, and pale gums.
Hematuria: When red blood cells are destroyed, they may enter the urine, causing your dog to develop hematuria (hemoglobinuria).
Jaundice: If the destruction of red blood cells is severe, it may lead to liver damage, which in turn can cause jaundice. Symptoms of jaundice include yellowing of the conjunctiva, gums and skin.
Loss of appetite: Dogs may experience a loss of appetite due to ill health.
Depression: Dogs may show signs of depression and reluctance to move around.
If you suspect that your dog has accidentally ingested onions, you should contact your veterinarian immediately and inform your dog of the amount of onions that may have been ingested and for how long. While waiting for your veterinarian's advice, you can try to induce vomiting in your dog, but do not use any substances that may be harmful to your dog. If your dog develops serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, seizures, or unconsciousness, it should be taken to an emergency veterinarian for treatment immediately.
The following steps should be taken immediately to provide relief after your dog has eaten an onion.
Once you find that your dog has eaten onions, you should stop feeding onions immediately.
If the dog accidentally ate onions for a short period of time (within 30 minutes), you can induce vomiting, the undigested and absorbed onions out of the body. The method of emetic can be done by using 3% hydrogen peroxide, instilling one teaspoon per 4.5 kg of body weight, trying to feed at the base of the pet's tongue, walking the pet for a while after feeding, and then doing it again up to three times if it has not vomited after 10 minutes. However, inducing vomiting is a high-risk operation and is recommended to be done by a professional or under the guidance of a doctor.
Give your dog plenty of water to induce urination to reduce the level of toxins.
Antioxidants: Use antioxidant VE to protect hemoglobin and stop the formation of Heinz's vesicles.
Rehydration and Nutritional Supplementation: Perform rehydration and nutritional supplementation, give appropriate amount of diuretics to promote the elimination of denatured hemoglobin from the body, and use a certain amount of antibiotics to prevent secondary infections from occurring due to decreased resistance of the body.
Blood replenishment and blood transfusion: blood replenishing drugs or intravenous blood transfusion can be used if the anemia is severe.
If the dog shows obvious symptoms of poisoning, such as mental instability, drooling, etc., it should be sent to the pet hospital for professional treatment as soon as possible.
No, onion powder and cooked onions are also toxic to dogs. The cooking process doesn’t remove the harmful compounds, and powdered onion often contains concentrated amounts of the toxic compounds, making it even more dangerous.
Onion powder is commonly found in processed foods and spices, such as soups, stews, and seasonings. If your dog accidentally consumes food containing onion powder, it can still be harmful and cause the same symptoms as consuming raw onions.
The amount of onion that causes toxicity in dogs depends on the size of the dog, its overall health, and the form of onion consumed (raw, cooked, powdered, etc.). A general rule is that 5 grams of onion per kilogram of body weight can cause harm to a dog. However, even small amounts of onions can pose a risk, especially if consumed over multiple meals.
For example:
It’s important to note that onion powder and cooked onions are still toxic to dogs. So, even if the onion has been prepared in a way that seems safe for humans, it is not safe for your dog.
Whether or not your dog needs medical attention after accidentally eating an onion can be determined based on several things.
Mild poisoning: If the dog has only eaten a small amount of onion, it may show mild symptoms, such as depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea and so on. In this case, you can first observe whether your dog's symptoms will be relieved on their own. If the symptoms gradually decrease within 1-2 days, immediate medical attention may not be necessary.
Severe poisoning: If your dog develops serious symptoms such as profuse vomiting, diarrhea, severe anemia (visible pale mucous membranes, jaundice), rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, weakness, hematuria (red, wine-colored, coffee-colored, or soy sauce-colored urine), etc., you should seek immediate medical attention.
Shortly after ingestion: If the dog has not eaten onions for a long time (within 30 minutes), you can try to induce vomiting to expel the undigested and absorbed onions from the body. If your dog's symptoms do not improve after vomiting or if serious symptoms develop, seek medical attention.
Longer period of accidental ingestion: If the dog has eaten onions for more than 2 hours, it is recommended to perform relevant blood tests (e.g. routine blood tests, blood smears and biochemical tests) to determine whether there is any damage to the internal organs as well as the red blood cells, and then provide targeted treatments based on the results of the tests.
Healthy dogs: For dogs in good health, if a small amount of onion is accidentally ingested, home first aid measures (e.g. inducing vomiting, drinking plenty of water, etc.) can be taken first and the symptoms can be closely monitored. If the symptoms do not worsen, you may not need to seek medical attention for the time being.
Dogs that are weak or have other health problems: If the dog itself has health problems (such as anemia, liver or kidney disease, etc.), or if it is an elderly dog or puppy, it should be more cautious after accidentally ingesting onions, and it is recommended to seek medical treatment in time in order to avoid aggravation of the condition.
If the dog shows severe symptoms of poisoning (e.g. severe anemia, hematuria, profuse vomiting and diarrhea, etc.), or if the onion has been accidentally ingested for a long period of time and the symptoms have not improved, or if the dog itself is not in good health, medical attention should be sought immediately.
If the dog shows only mild symptoms and the symptoms are relieved after taking home first aid measures, it can be observed for a while, but if the symptoms persist or worsen, prompt medical attention should also be sought.
In conclusion, onions are not safe for dogs to eat. As responsible dog owners, we must be vigilant about what we feed our pets and keep onions and onion - containing foods out of their reach. By being aware of the dangers of onions and knowing what to do in case of ingestion, we can protect the health and well - being of our beloved dogs.
