Sharing is caring and pet owners love sharing their favorite treats with their dogs. Of course, our pets don’t shy away from accepting our offerings either.
However, you need to be fully aware of how those treats could affect your pet before sharing them. You may not have known it beforehand, but some treats can be toxic to our canine companions. Read on and learn more about one particular ingredient that can cause real problems if your dog eats it.
Can Onion Powder Harm Dogs?
Onions are one of the most commonly used ingredients in the entire world. They are often used to form the flavorful bases for different types of dishes. No matter what kind of cuisine you prefer, there’s a good chance that it features the usage of onions to some degree.
It’s not hard to understand why onions are such popular cooking ingredients. When cooked properly, onions can add a distinctive type of sweetness to a dish. They also add a textural element if they are fried or served raw.
Unfortunately, not everyone in your household may be able to enjoy onions as much as they like. That’s because those onions are toxic to cats and dogs. For this article, we’ll be focusing specifically on how onions affect dogs.
Onions are bad for dogs whether they’re served raw or cooked. Even processed onions can have adverse effects on your pet’s health.
If you were thinking of using onion powder to make a dish safe for your dog, don’t even bother. Even in powdered form, onions continue to be highly toxic to our furry friends.
It’s important to remember that onion powder is toxic to dogs because it is used in a lot of dishes. You’ll often find it used in soups, stews, or rubs for barbequed meats. Mass-produced chips also often rely on onion powder as a flavoring agent.
Be mindful of how prevalent onion powder is because you don’t want to feed that to your dog.
What Happens if a Dog Eats Onion Powder?
The effects of onion powder on your dog will vary based on how much of it they consume.
Your dog eating a small amount of onion powder is not a cause for concern. This would be the case if your dog ate a few BBQ-flavored chips or cleaned up some onion powder-flavored soup that you spilled on the floor.
If your dog only consumed a very small amount of onion powder, then they should be fine.
Now, let’s say that your dog ate a bag of BBQ-flavored chips or a large piece of grilled meat that was coated in an onion powder-infused rub. In that case, your pet is more likely to feel the adverse effects of the onion powder.
Don’t be surprised if your dog starts to fall ill at that point.
What’s the worst-case scenario of your dog eating onion powder? In cases where a dog eats an excessive amount of onion powder, there’s a chance they could die.
Certain compounds found in onions can become reactive oxidants inside your pet’s body. Once those compounds become oxidants, they can start binding with your dog’s red blood cells. Eventually, those oxidants can cause the red blood cells to rupture.
Anemia may set in if there are not enough red blood cells moving through your pet’s body. Your dog can die from that.
What to Do if My Dog Eats Onion Powder?
Upon discovering that your dog ate something that contained onion powder, your priority should be to check how much of that item did they consume. See if they only ate a little bit or a lot of it because that should inform your next course of action.
If your dog only ate a little bit of the item that contained onion powder, you can just stay home with them. Keep close tabs on their condition for the next 24 hours and observe how they behave. Chances are that they will turn out fine, but they may present some symptoms not long after eating the onion powder.
If you’ve confirmed that your dog consumed a lot of onion powder, then you have to take immediate action. Get the professionals involved because your pet will likely need emergency treatment.
Signs to Look Out For
How can you tell that your dog has been poisoned by the onion powder they consumed? Keeping an eye out for certain symptoms will help. We’ve highlighted those symptoms below.
Diarrhea
Dogs suffering from onion-induced allium poisoning are likely to experience diarrhea. They may start leaving messy piles of waste all over your home so get ready to clean up after them.
Vomiting
Allium poisoning can also cause dogs to start vomiting. The vomiting may persist for several hours if your pet is dealing with a bad case of allium poisoning.
Excessive Drooling
Excessive drooling is yet another symptom of allium poisoning in dogs. Combined with the diarrhea and vomiting, you can easily see how your dog can end up dehydrated if they ate too much onion powder.
Fatigue
A dog that consumed an excessive amount of onion powder will appear tired all the time. They may not be up for doing anything because of how bad they feel.
Discolored Urine
Discolored urine is one of the more unique symptoms of allium poisoning. Dogs affected by that condition may produce urine that is either colored brown or red.
Abnormal Breathing
The way your pet breathes may also change if they have been poisoned by onion powder. Their breathing could speed up or become more labored due to allium poisoning.
When to See a Vet about a Dog Eating Onion Powder
Going to the veterinarian is a must if your dog ate a substantial amount of powder. Don’t even wait for the symptoms to show up. Just go to the veterinarian immediately because your dog will need treatment.
The veterinarian may try to induce vomiting in an attempt to limit the effects of the onion powder on your dog. If your pet has a severe case of allium poisoning, they may require a blood transfusion.