My dog ate onion – what should I do?
Call a vet todayCall your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. Onion is poisonous to dogs, and 15–30 g/kg can cause clinically important changes in the blood.
What to do right now
- Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
- Note what was eaten, how much and when.
- Bring the packaging.
- Remove any onion left within reach.
- Keep your dog calm.
Don't
- Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
- Do not give any human medicine.
Why it can be dangerous
Onion is poisonous to dogs.[2] In dogs, eating 15–30 g/kg of onion is enough to cause clinically important changes in the blood.[3]
Signs to watch for
What the experts say
“the ingestion of 5 g/kg of onions by cats and 15–30 g/kg by dogs is enough to cause clinically important hematologic changes”
Not sure how serious it is?
OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.
OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.
Common questions
How much onion is dangerous for a dog?
In dogs, 15–30 g/kg of onion is enough to cause clinically important changes in the blood.[3]
What should I do now?
Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet, note what was eaten, how much and when, and bring the packaging.
Are chives, garlic and leeks also poisonous?
Yes. Chives, garlic and leeks belong to the Allium family, and all are poisonous to dogs.[2]
Sources
- US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine
- Pet Poison Helpline
- Cortinovis & Caloni 2016, Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats, Front Vet Sci
How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages
Opioids & Opiates