Dog Onion & Garlic Toxicity Calculator
Assess the risk level if your dog ate onion, garlic, or other allium family foods. Get guidance on whether emergency veterinary care is needed.
How This Calculator Works
Understanding Allium Toxicity
Onions, garlic, chives, leeks, and shallots belong to the Allium family and contain compounds called thiosulfates. Dogs lack the enzyme needed to digest these compounds, which leads to oxidative damage to red blood cells (hemolysis). This causes Heinz body anemia, where red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be replaced.
Why the 24-48 Hour Delay?
Unlike immediate toxins, allium poisoning takes time to manifest because red blood cell damage occurs gradually. By the time symptoms appear, significant damage may have already occurred. This is why immediate veterinary consultation is critical, even if your dog appears fine.
Toxicity Thresholds
- All forms: 15-30 grams per kg body weight can cause toxicity
- Raw onion: Most toxic form
- Cooked onion: Still toxic, toxins survive cooking
- Garlic: 5x more potent than onions
- Onion powder: Highly concentrated, very dangerous
- Chives/Leeks: Less concentrated but still harmful
Critical Warning Signs
The most distinctive signs of allium toxicity are pale or yellow gums, red or brown-tinged urine, and extreme lethargy. These indicate severe anemia and require immediate emergency care. If you observe any of these symptoms, go to an emergency vet hospital immediately.
For more pet health calculators and emergency assessment tools, visit WalkTimer.