--- title: "Can dogs and cats eat onion, garlic, leek and chives?" description: "Onion, garlic, leek and chives and pets: toxic — treat as an emergency. What it does, whether the dose matters, and how dogs, cats, rabbits and birds differ." url: https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/onion-garlic/ site: "At One Place" --- # Can pets eat onion, garlic, leek and chives? **Onion, garlic, leek and chives: Toxic — treat as an emergency** Dogs: Toxic · Cats: Toxic · Rabbits: Toxic · Birds: Toxic > If this has already been eaten, ring your vet or an animal poison control line now rather than waiting for signs to appear — for several of these the window in which treatment works closes before the animal looks unwell. Do not try to make the animal sick at home: home emetics are dangerous for corrosive and petroleum substances and for an animal already showing signs, and salt-based ones have themselves proved fatal. ## By animal | Animal | Verdict | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Dogs | Toxic | Destroys red blood cells. Cooking, drying and powdering do not help — powders are more concentrated. | | Cats | Toxic | Cats are several times more sensitive than dogs and feline haemoglobin is unusually vulnerable to oxidative damage. | | Rabbits | Toxic | The whole allium family should be kept away from rabbits. | | Birds | Toxic | Same oxidative mechanism. | ## What it actually does Alliums contain organosulfur compounds that oxidise haemoglobin, forming clumps called Heinz bodies. The damaged red cells are removed by the spleen, and the anaemia that results often does not appear for several days — an animal can seem fine the evening it eats onion and be visibly ill on day three. Garlic is roughly five times more potent than onion by weight. Cooking destroys none of it, and onion powder in gravy, stock cubes, baby food and takeaway sauces is a more common route than raw onion. ## How much matters Around 15–30 g per kg of body weight in dogs produces measurable damage — a single medium onion is a meaningful dose for a small dog. Cats show effects at lower intakes. ## The bit that is usually got wrong > Garlic supplements marketed for dogs as flea deterrents work on the same chemistry that causes the toxicity, and controlled evidence for the flea benefit does not exist. > Body weight decides almost everything here, so what is trivial for a 40 kg dog can matter for a 4 kg one, and a bird is smaller again. Where a real published threshold exists this page gives it; where none does, it says so rather than inventing one. ## Vegetables | Food | Worst verdict | Dogs | Cats | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Carrot | In moderation | Safe | Safe | | Corn on the cob | Not safe | Not safe | Risky | | Mushrooms | Risky | Risky | Risky | | Tomato | Risky | Risky | Risky | | Pumpkin | In moderation | Safe | Safe | | Potato | Not safe | Risky | Risky | | Lettuce and leafy greens | Risky | Safe | Safe | | Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower | Risky | In moderation | In moderation | | Peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels | Risky | Safe | Safe | | Rhubarb | Toxic | Not safe | Not safe | ## Common questions ### Can dogs eat onion, garlic, leek and chives? Toxic — treat as an emergency. Destroys red blood cells. Cooking, drying and powdering do not help — powders are more concentrated. ### Can cats eat onion, garlic, leek and chives? Toxic — treat as an emergency. Cats are several times more sensitive than dogs and feline haemoglobin is unusually vulnerable to oxidative damage. ### What does onion, garlic, leek and chives actually do? Alliums contain organosulfur compounds that oxidise haemoglobin, forming clumps called Heinz bodies. The damaged red cells are removed by the spleen, and the anaemia that results often does not appear for several days — an animal can seem fine the evening it eats onion and be visibly ill on day three. Garlic is roughly five times more potent than onion by weight. Cooking destroys none of it, and onion powder in gravy, stock cubes, baby food and takeaway sauces is a more common route than raw onion. ### How much is dangerous? Around 15–30 g per kg of body weight in dogs produces measurable damage — a single medium onion is a meaningful dose for a small dog. Cats show effects at lower intakes. ### What should I do if my pet has eaten it? Call your vet or an animal poison control line now, rather than waiting for signs. Do not try to make the animal sick at home. ## Related pages - [Can pets eat carrot?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/carrot/) - [Can pets eat corn on the cob?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/corn-on-the-cob/) - [Can pets eat mushrooms?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/mushrooms/) - [Can pets eat tomato?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/tomato/) - [Can pets eat pumpkin?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/pumpkin/) - [Can pets eat potato?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/potato/) - [Can pets eat chocolate?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/chocolate/) - [Can pets eat grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/grapes/) - [Can pets eat xylitol and birch sugar?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/xylitol/) - [Can pets eat cooked bones?](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cooked-bones/) - [Everything, for dogs](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/dog/) - [Everything, for cats](https://atoneplace.net/can-pets-eat/cat/) ## Sources - MSD/Merck Veterinary Manual — Merck & Co. (https://www.merckvetmanual.com/)