ASPCA News Alert

CANINE/FELINE HEALTH ALERT:
HOLD THE ONIONS, PLEASE!

Raw, dehydrated, cooked, or powdered--onions in any form can be dangerous to your dog or cat, say veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Should your pet partake of a toxic dose, thiosulphate in the onions can cause hemolytic anemia, in which the red blood cells are spliced and unable to supply enough oxygen. The minimum toxic dose will vary, depending on the animal's size and sensitivity and the amount and type of onion ingested, but initial signs of poisoning include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea, progressing to lethargy, weakness and difficulty breathing. Says the APCC's Dr. Jill A. Richardson, "Often the pet owner realizes there is a problem when the damaged red blood cells are eliminated in the pet's urine, which becomes a bright red color."

Poisoning can occur with repeated ingestion of small amounts of onion or with a single ingestion, as was the case with two collie mixes from Philadelphia. The dogs ate some fried onions out of the trash can on a Friday. "By Sunday, the dogs' urine was red--from the free hemoglobin released from ruptured red blood cells," reports Richardson. "At that time the owner brought them into an emergency clinic, thinking the dogs had urinary tract infections."

Upon examination and discussion, exposure to onions was confirmed. The clinic's veterinary staff contacted the APCC for treatment solutions. Says Richardson, "Our recommendations included administering fluids to protect the kidneys, a blood transfusion and aggressive nursing care." The dogs responded well and were released later in the week.

What should you do if you think your animal companion has accidentally eaten onions? Contact your veterinarian or the APCC's animal emergency hotline at (888) 4-ANI-HELP for decontamination help.