What Dogs Can and Can't Eat

Which foods are toxic to dogs?

These are the foods to keep out of reach. This page does not give a "safe dose" for any of them. Where a charity or regulator says the dangerous amount varies, or that any amount is a reason to call a vet, that is the advice to follow.

• Chocolate (theobromine and other methylxanthines)
• Grapes and raisins, and the sultanas and currants the PDSA groups with them
• Onion, garlic and leeks, plus chives (the allium family), raw or cooked
• Xylitol, including products labelled birch sugar or wood sugar
• Macadamia nuts
• Alcohol
• Caffeine, including coffee and tea
• Cooked bones
• Avocado pit and skin
• Raw yeast dough

Chocolate, caffeine and alcohol

The PDSA says chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical that can be fatal to dogs, and that darker chocolate carries a higher risk. The ASPCA describes the same problem as methylxanthines, the group of compounds in chocolate, coffee and caffeine. In pets, the ASPCA says methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, an abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and death. White chocolate has the lowest methylxanthine content. Baking chocolate and cocoa powder have the highest.

Caffeine is the same family of stimulant. The PDSA says pets are much more sensitive to it than people are, and that it can affect the heart and blood pressure and may cause seizures. It shows up in coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate and some human painkillers.

Alcohol is toxic on its own. The ASPCA says alcoholic drinks and foods that contain alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, incoordination, depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, changes in blood pH, coma and death, and that alcohol is absorbed quickly. The PDSA says the same about drinks, and notes that mouthwash, perfume and some other household products contain alcohol too.

Grapes, raisins, onion, garlic and leeks

The PDSA groups grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants together. It says they contain toxins that are potentially fatal to dogs, that symptoms and the toxic dose can vary, and that it is impossible to know whether your dog will be affected. In severe cases the PDSA says toxicity can cause kidney failure, so the instruction is to call your vet if you suspect your dog has eaten any. The ASPCA says tartaric acid is speculated to be the toxic component, and that dogs are not able to process it, so exposure can lead to kidney damage. The AKC's produce guide says grapes and raisins can lead to acute kidney failure and that no amount has been proved safe.

Onion, garlic, leeks and chives are alliums. The PDSA says all parts are toxic to dogs, including when they are cooked or dried, and that the toxins can damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Sauces, baby food and other ready-made foods often hide onion or garlic. The ASPCA lists onion, garlic and chives in the same family and describes gastrointestinal irritation and red blood cell damage. The RSPCA's Christmas advice adds shallots to that list and says the damage can happen even when the plants are cooked.

Xylitol, macadamia nuts, and avocado pit and skin

Xylitol is a sweetener used in sugar-free gum, mints, baked goods, cough syrup, chewable vitamins, mouthwash, toothpaste, some peanut butters and other "sugar-free" foods. The FDA says that in dogs it can trigger a fast release of insulin and a sharp drop in blood sugar. That drop can start within 10 to 60 minutes. Vomiting, weakness, staggering, collapse and seizures are the signs the FDA lists, and it also says serious effects may not show for 12 to 24 hours, so a dog may need to be monitored at a clinic. The PDSA says xylitol can be fatal and may be listed as birch sugar. The RSPCA names xylitol among common dog poisons.

Macadamia nuts are a separate problem. The ASPCA says they can cause weakness, incoordination, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs, usually within 12 hours, with recovery often expected within 24 to 72 hours. The PDSA says they are toxic even in small amounts and that it is not fully understood why. Other nuts are not the same toxin, but the PDSA says their fat can still cause stomach upset and pancreatitis.

Avocado needs a careful reading, because the sources do not say the same thing about the flesh. The PDSA says the persin in avocado is highly toxic to birds and rabbits, and that small amounts are safe for dogs and cats, with two hazards it does name for dogs: stomach upset from the fat, and a blockage if the pit is swallowed. The AKC says the pit, leaves and skin contain persin and should be removed entirely, and that a swallowed pit is a choking hazard and can obstruct the intestine. Keep the pit and the skin away from the dog either way. If a pit is swallowed, call your vet.

Cooked bones and raw dough

The PDSA says bones, cooked or raw, can injure the mouth and teeth, damage the throat and oesophagus, cause constipation and blockages, and splinter into the stomach and intestines. It says cooked bones have a higher risk of splintering. The RSPCA says meat bones, especially cooked ones, can lodge in the throat, splinter, and cause internal blockages and intestinal perforations.

Raw yeast dough is not a bone problem. It is a rising problem. The ASPCA says yeast dough can expand and trap gas in the digestive system, which can bloat the stomach and potentially twist it, and that the yeast also produces alcohol, so a dog can develop alcohol toxicity as well. Keep bread dough covered and off the counter while it proves.

Which foods are safe in moderation?

A complete dog food still does the job of feeding the dog. The AKC says dogs have no need for fruit or vegetables as the diet itself, and that a dog-safe fruit or vegetable is fine as an occasional treat once seeds, pits, cores, rinds and stems are removed. Plain means no salt, garlic, onion, gravy or sugar syrup.

Treats still count toward the day's calories. The feeding guide is the place for portion size. If a dog has pancreatitis, diabetes, or a diet from the vet, ask before adding any of the rows above.

Log the treat, and keep the toxic list out of reach

PupPlan's nutrition tracking is for the food you mean to feed. It does not replace a vet call if a dog has eaten chocolate, grapes, xylitol, or anything else on the toxic list.

What if your dog eats something toxic?

Call your vet or a pet poison line straight away. Do not induce vomiting unless they tell you to.

The RSPCA's order is: move the dog away from the poison, contact your vet immediately, and follow their advice. Take the packaging, plant or substance if you can do that safely. The RSPCA also says never to attempt to make a dog vomit, and never to use salt water, which it calls extremely dangerous. The PDSA says the same about vomiting: a vet may give an injection to make a dog sick, and only when they are confident it is safe. Waiting to see if a problem develops is the step both charities tell you to skip.

1. Phone your vet, an emergency clinic, or a pet poison line while the dog is still in front of you.
2. Say what was eaten, how much if you know, and when. Read the ingredient list rather than guessing.
3. Follow the instructions you are given. Home salt, oils and human medicines are not first aid for this.

The ASPCA publishes its Animal Poison Control number on the foods page: (888) 426-4435. That is a US service. The RSPCA names the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) Animal PoisonLine as a 24-hour line for animals exposed to toxins, and says it charges a fee. Animal PoisonLine also takes calls from Ireland. The RSPCA page does not print the phone number, so use the number your vet gives you.

Ireland and the UK

In Ireland and the UK, the first call is your own vet or the emergency clinic that covers you, including out of hours. The PDSA and the RSPCA are the UK charities behind the advice above. Ireland does not get a different toxic-food list from those pages: chocolate, grapes, alliums, xylitol, macadamia nuts, alcohol, caffeine, cooked bones and raw dough are the same hazards in an Irish kitchen.

The VPIS Animal PoisonLine also takes calls from Ireland. The PDSA and RSPCA pages do not print the phone number, so phone the practice that knows the dog, or that line, tell them it may be poisoning, and take the packet. If you are on holiday or between practices, use the emergency clinic your usual vet's answerphone names.