Foods Toxic to Dogs: What to Avoid and What to Do If Your Dog Eats Them

Most dogs will eat almost anything, and many of the foods in a normal kitchen can make them sick. Some are mildly upsetting, but a few can be life-threatening in small amounts.

This guide covers the most common foods that are dangerous for dogs, why they’re a problem, and what to do if your dog gets into one. It isn’t a complete list, and it isn’t a substitute for your vet.

If your dog has already eaten something

Don’t wait for symptoms. With several of these foods, signs can take hours or days to appear, and early treatment makes a big difference.

1. Remove any remaining food and keep the packaging.
2. Note what and how much your dog ate, when, and your dog’s weight.
3. Call your vet or an emergency vet straight away. You can also contact an animal poison helpline. In the US and Canada, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) and Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) operate around the clock, and a consultation fee may apply. [Add your local emergency vet and poison information here if you serve readers elsewhere.]
4. Don’t try to make your dog vomit or give home remedies unless a vet or poison specialist tells you to. Done wrong, it can cause more harm.
5. Go to the clinic if you’re told to, and bring the packaging.

If your dog is collapsing, having seizures, struggling to breathe or is unresponsive, go to an emergency vet immediately.

Common foods that are toxic to dogs

Food	Why it’s a problem	What to know
Xylitol (a sweetener)	Can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar and serious liver damage	Found in sugar-free gum and sweets, some peanut butters, baked goods, mouthwash, toothpaste and some supplements and medicines. Even small amounts can be dangerous. Treat as an emergency.
Grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants	Can cause kidney failure	The toxic substance isn’t fully understood, and there’s no reliably safe amount. Some dogs seem unaffected, others become very ill.
Chocolate and cocoa	Contains theobromine and caffeine, which affect the heart and nervous system	Dark chocolate, baking chocolate and cocoa powder are the most dangerous. The risk depends on the type, the amount and your dog’s size.
Onions, garlic, chives, leeks	Can damage red blood cells, causing anaemia	Raw, cooked, dried and powdered forms all count, including in sauces and baby food. Signs can appear days later.
Macadamia nuts	Can cause weakness, vomiting, tremors and overheating	The cause isn’t well understood. Also watch for them in cookies.
Alcohol	Dogs are very sensitive to it, and it can cause vomiting, collapse, low body temperature and breathing problems	Includes drinks, and foods such as unbaked yeast dough and some desserts.
Raw bread dough	Rises in the stomach, causing bloating, and the yeast produces alcohol	A potential emergency.
Caffeine	Affects the heart and nervous system	Coffee, coffee grounds, tea bags, energy drinks and some supplements.
Salt in large amounts	Can cause excessive thirst, vomiting, and in severe cases brain swelling and seizures	Includes salt dough, play dough and a lot of seawater.
Nutmeg and some spices	Can cause tremors, an elevated heart rate and seizures in large amounts	More likely from baking ingredients than a sprinkle.
Cooked bones	Can splinter and cause choking, mouth injuries, or blockages and tears in the gut	Raw bones carry their own risks, so ask your vet.
Fatty foods and trimmings	Can trigger pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes serious inflammation of the pancreas	Bacon, fat trimmings, rich leftovers, and sudden big servings of fatty food.
Corn cobs, fruit pits and stones	Can cause intestinal blockages	Peach, plum and cherry pits, plus avocado stones, are common culprits.
Mouldy food and compost	Some moulds produce toxins that cause tremors and seizures	Includes bins and garden compost heaps.
Wild mushrooms	Some are deadly	Hard to identify, so treat any mushroom eaten in the garden or on a walk as an emergency.

A note on avocado: the flesh is considered less of a problem for dogs than for some other animals, but the pit is a choking and blockage risk, and the skin, leaves and high fat content can cause problems. The safest approach is to keep it away from your dog.

Non-food items that often turn up in the same cupboard

• Human medicines, especially painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen), antidepressants and ADHD medication
• Cannabis products, including edibles, which often contain chocolate or xylitol too
• Cleaning products, antifreeze and rodent poison

These are outside the scope of this article, but they’re among the most common causes of poisoning calls, so store them securely and contact a vet immediately if your dog gets into any of them.

Signs your dog may have eaten something toxic

Signs vary with the substance, but watch for:

• Vomiting or diarrhoea
• Drooling, restlessness or unusual behaviour
• Weakness, wobbliness or collapse
• Tremors or seizures
• Rapid or laboured breathing
• Increased thirst or urination, or no urination
• Pale gums
• A swollen or painful belly
• Loss of appetite or lethargy

Some poisonings show no signs at first. If you know your dog ate something dangerous, call your vet even if your dog seems fine.

Does size matter?

Yes. The same amount of a toxic food is a bigger dose for a small dog, which is why a small amount of chocolate can be a minor problem for a large dog and a serious one for a tiny one. Small dogs are also easier to overdose accidentally with a treat. Our guide to the best food for small dogs covers their feeding needs in more detail.

That said, don’t assume a “small” amount is safe for any dog. Some toxins, such as xylitol and grapes, can be dangerous in small amounts, and sensitivity varies between individual dogs.

What can dogs eat as a treat?

Many dogs enjoy a few plain, safe extras, but check with your vet first, particularly if your dog has health conditions, and introduce new foods in small amounts. Common examples:

• Plain cooked, boneless, unseasoned chicken or turkey
• Carrot sticks or green beans
• Blueberries
• Seedless watermelon without the rind
• Plain cooked pumpkin (not pie filling)

Keep treats and extras to around 10% of daily calories or less, and take them off the main meal amount. Our guide to the real cost of feeding a dog shows how to work out your dog’s portions, and our guide to reading a pet food label explains how to choose a complete and balanced food.

How to keep your dog safe

• Store food out of reach. Counters, bins, handbags and low cupboards are all fair game for a determined dog.
• Use a bin with a lid, and keep compost secure.
• Check labels for xylitol before sharing anything sugar-free, including peanut butter.
• Warn guests and children not to feed your dog scraps.
• Clear up after parties and holidays, when chocolate, alcohol, grapes in cakes and fatty leftovers are around.
• Watch your dog on walks, particularly for mushrooms, mouldy food and dropped items.
• Keep your vet’s number and an emergency vet’s number somewhere easy to find.

Final thoughts

Most food poisonings are preventable. Keep dangerous foods out of reach, know the main culprits, and act fast if something goes wrong. When in doubt, call your vet, because quick action often makes the difference. For ongoing feeding advice, see our guides to dog food types and how our reviews work.

Frequently asked questions