Surely you have heard on occasion about the toxic foods For dogs, what they should and should not eat. Among these is onion, which is considered a highly toxic food for our friends.
And is that each of the foods that are toxic to the pet are composed of certain substances that the dog's organism can not or has difficulty absorbing and digesting, therefore causing damage to it.
Today we share why the onion is toxic to the dog. Take note!
Why is it toxic?
The onion is raw or cooked, contains a toxin called thiosulfatola that the dog's organism cannot digest properly and, if it consumes this vegetable excessively, it can lead to a type of hemolytic anemia.
The dog can eat onion and it seems that it does not harm him, but internally the toxin called thiosulfatola accumulates in the blood and causes the premature aging of the red blood cells, that is, weakens them and breaks them until they disintegrate.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms that the dog presents after consuming excess onion are:
✾ Urine with a reddish hue.
Therefore it is recommended not to give onion to your partner, it is better to avoid a disease, no matter how little you consume. (Visit: Grapes and raisins a poison for dogs).
Has your dog presented onion intake poisoning?
1. Chocolate
Dogs metabolize theobromine more slowly and can get sick and die from eating too much chocolate. How much is too much? It depends on the type of chocolate: melting chocolate has 10 times more theobromine than milk chocolate and thousands of times more than white chocolate. It is best to avoid eating chocolate in general: causes vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity until reaching cardiac arrest, heart attacks and death. It may take hours and even days to manifest the symptoms.
Symptoms of garlic and onion poisoning in dogs
If your dog has consumed garlic and onion in inadequate amounts for several days or in an excessive amount for a shorter period of time, you should know that the symptoms of intoxication will not manifest immediately, but about 5 to 6 days later.
The symptoms of this intoxication in dogs will appear progressively and include the following:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Reddish urine
- Respiratory distress
- Lethargy
- Increased heart rate
If these signs appear It is important that we go to the vet as soon as possible.
Beneficial properties of garlic and onion
Garlic and onion have numerous medicinal properties Among which we must highlight the following:
- They allow the body to purify by facilitating the elimination of waste substances.
- They have antibacterial and antiseptic activity.
- They improve blood circulation.
- Increase the immune response.
- They protect the cardiovascular system.
Contrary to what many people believe, these benefits are not only observed in the human organism, since dogs can also see their health greatly reinforced thanks to the mechanism of action of these two superfoods.
Can I give garlic and onion to my dog?
To answer this question, let me start with a practical situation. One day for lunch I decided to invite my dog and put some sauteed potatoes with eggs and onions in her feeder. Then I remembered the most widespread myth in canine nutrition "the onion is toxic" and I went into a state of hysteria, in a relentless search for information I realized that I had used a medium onion to prepare approximately 3 plates of food and that the toxic dose for my dog (a labrador) was 3 medium onions. I breathed and watched calmly as my pet continued to enjoy an optimal state of health.
If we are going to give a yorkshire a plate of homemade food cooked with onion, are we going to use a whole onion in an exclusive preparation for our dog? Probably not, and here is the key.
So that a dog can (because it is not a safe fact) get intoxicated with onion, you should consume 0.5% of your body weight in onions, and that is an excessive amount that has no place in a balanced diet for dogs.
If you want to give your dog foods containing onion, you can give 2 to 3 tablespoons of these without any problem. Also, are you going to give him food prepared with onion every day? Do not suffer from onion poisoning in dogs if you use this vegetable reasonably.
As for garlic, our fear must be even less, since it contains less sulfur substances that can be toxic. Thus, a dog can eat 1 to 2 cloves of garlic daily, depending on their weight, it is more, in this food we find the best home remedy to deworm them.
This article is purely informative, at ExpertAnimal.com we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case he presents any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Garlic and onion poisoning in dogs - Symptoms and recommended doseWe recommend that you enter our section on Intestinal Problems.
Why dogs can't eat onion
From the first moment in which we decided to share our life with a dog we have to keep in mind that you will need a series of care to be happy, among which are daily exercise, a lot of company and affection, and adequate food.
In this sense, since the invention of feed, during World War II, we have been told and repeated to satiety that only that type of food can eat and that there are foods that are toxic to them. Why can't dogs eat onion? Is it really so dangerous?
Like everything in this life, it depends. If you don't give him an excessive amount, nothing will happen. The onion It contains a compound called n-propyldisulfide, which is a toxic substance for dogs in high amounts since it destroys red blood cells. In doing so, it causes a type of hemolytic anemia that will need veterinary help to recover.
Symptoms of onion poisoning will manifest within 5-6 days. They are the following: diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting, breathing problems, bloody urine and increased heart rate. If our friend has eaten more onion than he should and starts to feel bad, we should take him to the vet as soon as possible.
Is onion really so dangerous for the dog? Not at all. For it to be, you should consume 0.5% of your body weight in this food, something that not even humans do. In addition, we must bear in mind that not every day we are going to feed him meat with this food, otherwise we would not be giving him all the nutrients that the animal needs to grow.
And there is more: the onion has very beneficial properties for the body. Protects the hairy from bacteria, improves blood circulation and, as if that were not enough, strengthens the immune system. So do not hesitate to give it a little onion occasionally. 🙂
Onion is very toxic to dogs
Onions, like garlic and all vegetables of the Allium family, are highly toxic to dogs, due to its content in sulfuric compounds (thiosulfate). Dogs do not have the enzyme needed to digest them and this will cause serious problems. The amount of onion that will cause problems for your dog is difficult to determine, since its toxicity depends on the amount of thiosulfate it contains.
In large doses, onion is toxic to dogs. It is also in small repetitive portions, that is, giving him some onion is usually dangerous. If it is a Small and punctual amount, it is most likely that your partner does not present any problems. However, it is not advisable to provide this product. Its beneficial effects can be obtained from other foods that are not dangerous, so it is not worth taking the risk.
My dog has hemolytic anemia. What is it?
When red blood cells break down, bile and hemoglobin form. When it occurs an acceleration in the normal process of decomposition of red blood cells, we are facing a hemolysis. This disease causes the accumulation in the body of bile and hemoglobin. Therefore, in a severe hemolytic crisis, we will observe that our dog has yellowish eyes and mucous membranes (jaundice) and dark brown blood (because it contains hemoglobin). Also, your dog will look weak and lethargic. Your pulse will be accelerated.
The function of red blood cells is the transport of oxygen. Therefore, the symptoms of anemia are caused by insufficient oxygen in the muscles and organs. This is manifested with various signals, such as: lack of appetite, weakness, sleepy state and respiratory problems. An increase in the size of the spleen, liver and lymph nodes may be observed.
If the anemia is severe, the dog can collapse when making an effort, due to the acceleration of the heart rate.
The symptoms may take 1 to 5 days to appear, so if your dog has consumed onion, consult your veterinarian, as it is convenient to establish a diagnosis quickly.
My dog has kidney failure. What is it?
Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to remove waste products from the blood, causing an accumulation of toxins. The dog retains ammonia, nitrogen, acids and other waste products in the blood and tissues. This is called uremia
Dogs show no signs of kidney failure until they are destroys 75% of functional renal tissue. Thus, when the signs are presented, damage can be serious.
One of the first symptoms is that the dog drinks and urinates more than normal, since the kidneys cannot concentrate the urine and the dog is not able to control it. This causes dehydration and thirst. Provide your dog with fresh water and some vitamin B supplement, since this vitamin is eliminated in the urine of dogs with this problem. Take it to the vet quickly.
OROther symptoms are: apathy and depression, loss of appetite and weight, dry hair, discoloration of the tongue and breath with the smell of ammonia. You may have mouth ulcers. Vomiting and diarrhea also occur. In the last stages, the dog may suffer a coma.
Conclusions
- Onion in large doses or consumed regularly is toxic to dogs.
In small quantities it is not likely to cause damage.
Its toxicity depends on the amount of thiosulfate it contains, since the dog does not have enzymes to digest this chemical compound.
Thiosulfate can cause your dog hemolytic anemia, also known as Heinz Bodies anemia
The symptoms of hemolytic anemia are: jaundice, dark blood, diarrhea, lack of appetite, weakness, lethargy, rapid pulse and respiratory problems.
The symptoms of hemolytic anemia are not immediate, they can take up to five days. Therefore, it is important that you tell your veterinarian that your dog has consumed onion.
Onion consumption may also cause kidney failure in your dog
The first symptoms of kidney failure are very thirsty and that your dog urinates more than normal, even with incontinence.
Other symptoms are: apathy, depression, loss> If your dog is very thirsty and suffers from incontinence, provide plenty of fresh water and vitamin B and take it to the vet urgently.
The symptoms of renal failure are not immediate, so when observed, the dog may be in a serious situation.
Although a small amount does not cause problems, consult your veterinarian if your dog has consumed onion, since the symptoms do not occur immediately and the situation can be serious and irreversible.
