PetHealth
Allium Toxicity in Dogs and Cats (Onion and Garlic Poisoning)
All {{Allium}} plants — onion, garlic, leeks, chives, and shallots — are toxic to dogs and cats because their organosulfur compounds oxidize red-blood-cell hemoglobin, producing {{Heinz body}} anemia. Toxicity applies to raw, cooked, and dehydrated forms and is dose-dependent.
Heinz Body Anemia in Dogs and Cats
{{Heinz body}} bodies are inclusions of denatured hemoglobin inside red blood cells caused by oxidative stress. When oxidant exposure (such as {{Allium}} ingestion or certain drugs) is severe, the spleen removes the damaged cells, producing a hemolytic anemia known as Heinz body anemia.
Onions and Mushrooms for Dogs: What's Toxic and What's Safe
Onions and all other {{alliums}} (garlic, leeks, chives, shallots) are toxic to dogs in raw, cooked, powdered, or dehydrated form and can cause {{Heinz body anemia}}. Cultivated mushrooms like cooked {{shiitake}} are not toxic; the real hazards are the aromatics they are cooked with, heavy fat, salt, raw preparation, and foraged wild species.
Pancreatitis in Dogs
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, commonly triggered in dogs by high-fat foods. Pancreatic enzymes activate prematurely and digest pancreatic tissue, causing vomiting, abdominal pain, and lethargy. Prevention centers on avoiding fatty table scraps and feeding moderate-fat diets.
N-Propyl Disulfide: The Organosulfur Toxin in Onions and Garlic
{{N-propyl disulfide}} is the organosulfur compound — formed from {{thiosulfate}}-related chemistry when {{Allium}} tissue is broken — responsible for the oxidative red-blood-cell damage that poisons dogs and cats. It generates oxidative stress that denatures hemoglobin into {{Heinz body}} bodies.