Foods That Are Toxic to Dogs

By Ed Frawley  |  Last modified: April 20, 2022

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One thing that all pet owners should be aware of is that there are some foods that we eat everyday that can be toxic or fatal to your beloved pet. ALWAYS check the ingredients list on a product before feeding it to your dog. The following is a list of some foods that can be dangerous to dogs.

• Alcoholic Beverages: Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.
• Apple Seeds: Contains cyanogenic glycosides which result in cyanide poisoning.
• Apricot Pits: Contains cyanogenic glycosides which result in cyanide poisoning.
• Avocados: The fruit, pit, and plant can all cause difficulty breathing, fluid accumulation in chest, abdomen, and heart.
• Baby Food: Can contain onion powder which is toxic to dogs.
• Broccoli in Large Amounts
• Cat food: Can cause diarrhea and/or Pancreatitis from the sudden change in diet.
• Cherry Pits: Contains cyanogenic glycosides which result in cyanide poisoning.
• Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine Products: Caffeine, Theobromine, and Theophylline can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous system.
• Citrus Oil Extracts: Can cause vomiting.
• Fat Trimmings from Leftovers: High-fat content can cause Pancreatitis, especially COOKED fats.
• Foods with Xylitol: (also known as Birch Sugar, Wood sugar, & Xylite) like candy, some peanut butters, chewing gums, etc. can cause Xylitol poisoning.
• Grapes and Raisins: Tartaric Acid (Also known as Cream of Tartar) can damage the kidneys and liver.
• Hops: Causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.
• Human Vitamin Supplements with Iron: Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the liver and kidneys as well.
• Large Amounts of Liver: Can cause Vitamin A toxicity which affects muscles and bones.
• Macadamia Nuts: Unknown toxin can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscles.
• Marijuana: Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in heart rate.
• Moldy or Spoiled Food: Can cause vomiting and diarrhea, and also affect other organs.
• Mushrooms/Toadstools: Toxins may affect multiple systems, cause shock and result in death.
• Mustard Seeds
• Nutmeg: Can cause tremors, seizure, and death
• Onions and Garlic: Contain Sulfoxides and Disulfides which can damage red blood cells causing Anemia. Garlic less toxic than Onions.
• Persimmons: Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
• Pits from Peaches, Pears, and Plums: Cause obstructions and contains cyanogenic glycosides which result in cyanide poisoning.
• Potato, Rhubarb, and Tomato Leaves; Potato and Tomato Stems: Contain oxalates which can affect digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.
• Salt: Can cause electrolyte imbalances when eaten in large amounts.
• Tobacco: Nicotine affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heartbeat, collapse, coma and death.
• Walnuts: Some kinds of walnuts are not toxic to dogs but, they can cause choking hazards, intestinal blockages, and pancreatitis.
• Yeast Dough & Baking Mixes: Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of stomach or intestines.

If you believe your dog has consumed any of these foods, immediately call your vet, emergency animal clinic, or animal poison control center. Every second counts!

ASPCA Poison Control: (888) 426-4435

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About Author

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder and owner of Leerburg.com and has been producing professional dog training videos since 1982. Over the years, he has collaborated with some of the most respected dog trainers in the country. His body of work includes 194 full-length training DVDs and 95 comprehensive online courses. In addition to these, he has produced and published over 4,000 short training videos available free of charge on Leerburg.com and across the company's social media platforms.

Ed and his wife, Cindy—also a professional dog trainer—bred working-line German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois for more than 35 years. Although they retired from breeding in 2009, they had produced over 300 litters by that time.

Ed also served as a K9 handler for the local sheriff's department for 10 years, working in partnership with the West Central Drug Task Force. During his time in law enforcement, he handled multiple narcotics and patrol dogs and conducted more than 1,000 K9 searches. If you want to learn more about Ed, read about his history here.

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