Hi, I am very stressed because our little Finn of 18 month old has just eaten an onion..... What do I have to do? He weighs 31 kg. Annemarie
Re: Onion poison for a dog? Do you have an emergency number for your vet that you can call and ask advice?
Re: Onion poison for a dog? I have just looked it up, onions contain thiosulphate which causes a condition called hemolytic anemia which damages red blood cells. The symptoms are apparent 2 - 4 days after consumption which are, breathlessness, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting and a small amount of onion is dangerous. The advice is to call your vet immediately. There's lots of information online. I hope Finn will be OK but let us know how you get on Anne Marie xx
Re: Onion poison for a dog? Eating one onion is not as bad as eating some onion regularly - it's the effect over time that's the problem. Still, if you have an emergency vet in the area a call to them would definitely be worthwhile, to see if there is anything you should do. Don't panic though!
Re: Onion poison for a dog? Hi, I called the emergency vet yesterday evening, right after I post my question here. She first said that is was no problem, but when I told her that on the internet an article said it was poisonous because of the thiosulfate. She never heard of it, but also never heard of a dog that eats an onion.... She then told me that she would call the poison centre to ask about it, and would call me later. Very soon she called back and told me I have to keep an eye on him for vomiting and diarrhea. An onion is poisonous when a dog eats more than 15 grams per kg weight. That is in his case more than 450 grams of onion. As it was for a small one, we shouldn't have to worry, but keep a close look. She had to laugh about it, and told me that you have to be a Labrador to eat everything..... Annemarie
Re: Onion poison for a dog? Good news! I'm surprised that your vet hadn't heard of onions being poisonous to dogs, though!! Fingers crossed everything is OK with Finn.
Re: Onion poison for a dog? Yeah, kinda surprised they hasn't heard of that. But good to have a guide to how much so actually a problem She's right about having to be a Labrador to snaffle an onion (or an Australian Prime Minister..... :).
