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Foods that are toxic to dogs

Q: Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

It contains theobromine , which a dog clears far more slowly than we do: it builds up and affects the heart and nerves. The darker the chocolate (cocoa, baking chocolate), the more concentrated and dangerous it is; milk chocolate is far less so. If your dog eats some, keep the packaging and call.

Q: What should I do if my dog has eaten chocolate?

Call your vet or an animal poison centre without waiting , even if your dog seems fine: the amount, the type of chocolate, their weight and the time they ate it all guide the decision, which is why keeping the packaging matters. Don't make them vomit on your own initiative: it's the vet who decides whether that's advised.

Q: Why are grapes toxic to dogs?

Fresh grapes and raisins alike can cause kidney damage , at an unpredictable dose: small amounts have been enough to make some dogs seriously ill. Cakes, breads and mueslis with raisins count too. Any amount eaten is treated as an emergency, before symptoms appear.

Q: My dog ate milk chocolate, is it serious?

The type matters: milk chocolate is far less concentrated in theobromine than dark chocolate, cocoa or baking chocolate. But how serious it is also depends on the amount swallowed and the dog's weight, and that can't be judged alone. Keep the packaging and call your vet or a poison centre for guidance.

6 min read

If your dog has eaten chocolate, grapes, onion or xylitol, or swallowed some other toxic substance, do not make them vomit: call your vet or an animal poison centre straight away, keep the packaging and note the time. Many poisons act before the first sign appears.

Your dog has swallowed something toxic: the right reflexes

Before any "treatment", the reflex that saves the day is to call quickly and gather the right information: a dog's liver doesn't clear things the way ours does, and some poisons act silently. Diagnosis and any treatment are the vet's call.

Call straight away

Your vet, the emergency clinic or an animal poison centre (in France: CNITV in Lyon, CAPAE-Ouest in Nantes). Asking for advice costs nothing, and it's the professional who decides. Don't wait for symptoms.

Note what, how much, when

The exact food, the estimated amount and the time it was swallowed: these three pieces of information guide the whole response.

Keep the packaging

The type of chocolate, the xylitol content, the make-up of a dish: concentration changes everything. Bring the label or a photo.

Follow the advice given on the phone

You'll be guided: keep watch at home, or head to the clinic. You confirm what to do with a professional, you never decide alone.

The truly toxic foods, and why

For the same amount, the danger depends on the type of food and the dog's weight: that's why you don't judge how serious it is on your own, you call.

Never give (truly toxic)

Chocolate, cocoa, baking chocolateTheobromine, which a dog clears very slowly, builds up and hits the heart and nerves. The darker it is (cocoa, couverture, baking chocolate), the more concentrated; milk chocolate is far less so.

Grapes and raisinsCan damage the kidneys at an unpredictable dose: small amounts have been enough to make dogs seriously ill. Fruit cake and raisin muesli count too.

Onion, garlic, leek, shallot, chivesThe whole allium family destroys red blood cells (anaemia), whether raw, cooked or powdered. The effect is cumulative and often delayed by several days; garlic is the most concentrated.

Xylitol (birch sugar)A sweetener in "sugar-free" chewing gum, sweets and cakes, and sometimes in certain peanut butters: it triggers a sharp drop in blood sugar, then can affect the liver. Dangerous even in very small amounts.

Alcohol and raw bread doughAlcohol is a poison; raw dough rises in the warm stomach, stretches it and releases alcohol as it ferments: a double danger, mechanical and toxic.

Macadamia nutsCause a syndrome typical of dogs: hind-leg weakness, tremors, fever, lethargy.

Coffee, tea, caffeinated drinksSame family as chocolate (methylxanthines), same effects on the heart and nerves.

Too much saltSwallowed seawater, salt dough, very salty snacks: risk of nerve and kidney harm.

Mainly a mechanical or digestive danger (not a poison, but best avoided)

AvocadoIt's not really a poison for dogs: the real risks are the stone (blockage) and the very fatty flesh (pancreatitis).

Cooked bones, including chicken bonesThey splinter into shards: risk of perforation and blockage. It's a mechanical danger, not a poisoning.

This list isn't exhaustive: at the slightest doubt about a food, treat it as a risk and call.

The signs depend on the toxin and can be delayed by several hours, even several days: don't wait for them to appear before calling.

Keep an eye out

Restlessness, panting
Increased thirst and urination
Vomiting or diarrhoea

It's getting worse

Tremors, an unsteady "drunken" gait
Heavy drooling, gums very pale or very red
Marked lethargy

Life-threatening emergency

Seizures
Collapse, loss of consciousness
Difficulty breathing

Seizures, a "drunken" gait, collapse or difficulty breathing after swallowing something: this is a life-threatening emergency, don't lose a minute.

Do this right now

Call your vet, the emergency clinic or an animal poison centre (CNITV in Lyon, CAPAE-Ouest in Nantes) and set off straight away
Keep the packaging and note the time it was swallowed for the team
Give nothing to eat or drink, and don't make them vomit

Call your vetor an animal poison control centre — without delay.

The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.

The most reliable barrier is still the environment and training: keep chocolate, medicines, chewing gum and household products up high or locked away, don't leave table scraps lying around, and work on "leave it" and "drop it" so a dog lets go instead of swallowing. Keep the emergency numbers written down in advance too.

Canine toxicology: theobromine, xylitol, alliums, grapes, Merck Veterinary Manual
Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), ASPCA
Pet Poison Helpline (common toxins and what to do)
Tartaric acid and grape toxicity in dogs, ASPCA APCC / JAVMA (2021)
French veterinary poison centres: CNITV (Lyon), CAPAE-Ouest (Nantes / Oniris)

Frequently asked questions

Why is chocolate bad for dogs?

It contains theobromine, which a dog clears far more slowly than we do: it builds up and affects the heart and nerves. The darker the chocolate (cocoa, baking chocolate), the more concentrated and dangerous it is; milk chocolate is far less so. If your dog eats some, keep the packaging and call.

What should I do if my dog has eaten chocolate?

Call your vet or an animal poison centre without waiting, even if your dog seems fine: the amount, the type of chocolate, their weight and the time they ate it all guide the decision, which is why keeping the packaging matters. Don't make them vomit on your own initiative: it's the vet who decides whether that's advised.

Why are grapes toxic to dogs?

Fresh grapes and raisins alike can cause kidney damage, at an unpredictable dose: small amounts have been enough to make some dogs seriously ill. Cakes, breads and mueslis with raisins count too. Any amount eaten is treated as an emergency, before symptoms appear.

My dog ate milk chocolate, is it serious?

The type matters: milk chocolate is far less concentrated in theobromine than dark chocolate, cocoa or baking chocolate. But how serious it is also depends on the amount swallowed and the dog's weight, and that can't be judged alone. Keep the packaging and call your vet or a poison centre for guidance.

What is xylitol and where does it hide?

It's a sweetener (also called "birch sugar") found in "sugar-free" chewing gum, sweets and cakes, some toothpastes and sometimes peanut butter. It's very toxic even in small amounts: a sharp drop in blood sugar, then a risk to the liver. It's an emergency, so bring the packaging and call straight away.

How long after eating something should I worry?

It varies with the toxin, and it's often deceptive: signs from grapes or alliums can appear several days later, and antifreeze acts silently before any symptom. So the rule is simple: don't wait and see, call as soon as you suspect your dog has eaten something.

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