Reaction to Onions

This is a warning that my vets practice has just put out "else where".
I thought it might be a good idea to share it here as a general warning.

TOXICITIES and POISONINGS
Today we have seen a case of onion poisoning in a dog. Onions are toxic to dogs and cause damage to the red blood cells and make them burst making the dog anaemic and feel very poorly. Worst case scenario they can need a blood transfusion. So please spread the word- no onions for pets please. Similarly grapes and raisins cause kidney failure in dogs so no fruit cake allowed.
Chocolate is toxic to dogs too, dark chocolate is worst causing hyperactivity, sickness/diarrhoea, fast heart rate, seizures and potentially fatal.

In cats access to any part of the Lily plant causes kidney failure so if you have cats you can't have lilies in the house.

It would be a vets dream not to see any of these cases and owner education is key. How do you think best to spread the word and get knowledge out there?

Great post Nippy Wasn't aware of the dangers from onions.Its good to know.

I have known onions were on the no no list for a while now. But have to say before I did know about them dogs of mine have finished off leftover 'stew' with relish and no ill effect for many years. I can't imagine a dog enjoying a raw onion so I suppose the warning relates to cooked ones? I mean onions 'disappear' into the hotpot soup or stew don't they?

Oleander too is a highly toxic plant when it comes to dogs.

** just looked up this and found the following

Now I always thought garlic was said to be GOOD for dogs?

Thanks for this Nippy, as I'm still new to being a dog owner I'm still learning, I knew about chocolate, grapes and raisins but not the onions. We don't give Marco anything other than apples and carrots but its good to know about the definite no's!

I know, I was all ready to buy one a couple of weeks ago until hubby read the label.
We put it back and did without

Good post Nippy - many people know about the chocolate thing, but raisins and onions are a sort of hidden danger aren't they.

Tang, I am now confused because Jimmi has a veterinary garlic tablet every day. I wonder if it is raw garlic that is bad for them

I dunno Bitkin but it really does make me wonder how all these stray and street dogs live to such a ripe old age and seem comparatively fit when they survive on leftovers from scrapings off plates out the back of tavernas and what they can scavenge from bins etc.

I didn't know about GRAPES until a few years ago. One of my dogs used to love the occasional grape or two!

Perhaps with some of this stuff it's like choklit - only really toxic if eaten in large quantities relative to the dog's body weight?

Pereg has a [human] garlic oil softgel every day. According to my vet it is only raw garlic that dogs should not have. Garlic oil softgels, tablets, powdered or granulated garlic, or cooked garlic is fine.

Apparently garlic has some sort of anti-flea action in that fleas hate the smell or taste of garlic!

Onion though is a definite non-no in all forms.

Well what I was reading says garlic powder is out too? Not that I give garlic to Bella.

My first dog died in my arms of kidney failure at 9 years old...
She loved grapes and other fruit, but wouldnt touch dog biscuits so the family used them as treats for her.
Absolutely distraught when we found out it was our fault

After that I went a bit nuts and made sure everything was a-ok before my dogs got it... I've caught visitors trying to slip bits of chocolate and whatnot to them - they don't half get a belting for it

I believe macadamia nuts, avacado and aloe vera are also toxic if ingested