Foods that are toxic to dogs

Grapes and raisins can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs. There is no reliable safe dose, so treat every grape as a risk.

Serve None — never

Dried grapes are more concentrated and are hidden in cakes, trail mix and Christmas pudding. Ingestion needs a vet call.

Serve None — never

The flesh is high in fat and the skin, pit and leaves contain persin. Reported effects include vomiting, diarrhoea and pancreatitis.

Serve None — avoid

Onions, shallots and leeks damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Powdered onion in stock or gravy is just as dangerous.

Serve None — never

Garlic is in the same family as onion and is toxic to dogs even in small amounts. Garlic supplements are not a safe flea remedy.

Serve None — never

Leeks contain the same sulphur compounds as onion. Soup, stock and leftovers made with leeks are all unsafe.

Serve None — never

A concentrated allium. A few chives on a baked potato can be enough to upset a small dog.

Serve None — never

Spring onions, scallions and salad onions all contain toxic sulphur compounds, raw or cooked.

Serve None — never

The leaves are high in soluble oxalate, which can cause tremors and kidney damage. Stalks are unsafe too.

Serve None — never

Unripe tomatoes and tomato plant leaves contain solanine. Ripe red tomato flesh is acceptable in tiny amounts.

Serve None — never

Many wild mushrooms are severely toxic to dogs and symptoms can be delayed. Treat any wild mushroom ingestion as an emergency.

Serve None — never

Raw potato and potato peel contain solanine and are hard to digest. Only cooked, plain potato is safe.

Serve None — never

Macadamias cause weakness, tremors and hind-limb incoordination in dogs. Even a few nuts can trigger symptoms.

Serve None — never

Nutmeg contains myristicin, which can cause tremors, seizures and heart rhythm problems in dogs.

Serve None — never

Small amounts of salt in food are unavoidable, but added salt can cause vomiting, tremors and, in large doses, sodium poisoning.

Serve None — avoid

Refined sugar adds nothing a dog needs and contributes to obesity and dental disease. Sugar-free sweets are even worse.

Serve None — avoid

Xylitol triggers a massive insulin release and can cause life-threatening low blood sugar and liver failure. Check every gum, mint and peanut butter label.

Serve None — emergency

Chocolate contains theobromine, which dogs cannot metabolise. Dark and baking chocolate are the most dangerous; white chocolate is lowest but still not safe.

Serve None — emergency

Caffeine causes restlessness, a racing heart, tremors and seizures. This includes coffee beans, grounds and used pods.

Serve None — never

Tea contains caffeine and, in some blends, other stimulants. Cold tea left on a table is a common accidental exposure.

Serve None — never

Even small amounts of beer, wine or spirits can cause vomiting, disorientation and dangerous drops in blood sugar and body temperature.

Serve None — never

Energy drinks combine caffeine, sugar and stimulants such as taurine in doses that are dangerous for a dog.

Serve None — never

Sugary and often caffeinated. Diet versions may contain sweeteners that upset the stomach, and the carbonation causes bloating.

Serve None — never

Raw bread dough keeps rising inside the warm stomach, causing painful bloating, and produces alcohol as it ferments.

Serve None — never

Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda are high in sodium and can cause serious electrolyte imbalance.

Serve None — never

Cooked bones splinter into sharp fragments that can perforate the gut. Raw recreational bones are also a fracture and blockage risk.

Serve None — never

Extremely salty, high in fat, and often cured with nitrates. A single rasher can trigger pancreatitis in a sensitive dog.

Serve None — avoid

Processed ham is loaded with salt and preservatives. Never feed it, especially to dogs with heart or kidney disease.

Serve None — avoid

High fat, high salt and often seasoned with onion or garlic powder. All three are a problem for dogs.

Serve None — avoid

Pizza combines cheese, salt, onion, garlic and rich fat — a near-perfect storm of things dogs should not eat.

Serve None — avoid

Most dogs cannot digest the lactose, and the sugar and fat can trigger vomiting or pancreatitis. Dairy-free dog ice cream exists.

Serve None — avoid

Baked goods usually contain sugar, butter, raisins or chocolate — and xylitol in sugar-free versions. All are unsafe.

Serve None — avoid

Fried, salted and often seasoned. A single chip is unlikely to harm a large dog, but the habit is genuinely unhealthy.

Serve None — avoid

Crisps are concentrated salt and oil with no nutritional value. Keep the bag out of reach.

Serve None — avoid

Sugar-free gum is the most common source of xylitol poisoning. One or two pieces can be enough to hospitalise a small dog.

Serve None — emergency

Hot chocolate combines cocoa solids with sugar and milk. It is a chocolate exposure and should be treated as one.

Serve None — never

Alcohol poisoning in dogs can happen from a spilled glass or a dropped bottle. Hops are also toxic to dogs.

Serve None — never

Wine contains alcohol and, in the case of raisins in some recipes, grape derivatives. Keep glasses off low tables.

Serve None — never

Very salty, high in fat and often contains nitrates. A dog could grab one at a barbecue, so keep them covered.

Serve None — avoid

Gravy is salt, fat and almost always onion. It is one of the most common hidden allium exposures in dogs.

Serve None — avoid

Soup almost always contains onion, garlic and salt. Never let a dog lick the bowl, even if it looks harmless.

Serve None — avoid

Stuffing contains onion, garlic, herbs and often raisins — three separate hazards in a single spoonful.

Serve None — avoid

Mincemeat is dried fruit, sugar and suet: raisins plus fat plus alcohol. A genuine seasonal emergency.

Serve None — never

Trail mix is a mixture of raisins, chocolate and nuts — several toxic foods in one handful. Keep bags zipped away.

Serve None — avoid

Roast leftovers combine fat, salt, onion, stuffing and bones. This is the single most common cause of festive vet visits.

Serve None — avoid

Only feed berries you can positively identify as edible. Several wild berries and nightshade family plants are toxic to dogs.

Serve Avoid unidentified plants

The juice and peel are very acidic and the oils can irritate the mouth. Dogs have no need for lemon in their diet.

Serve Not recommended

Same as lemon: acidic, aromatic oils in the peel, and no nutritional benefit for a dog.

Serve Not recommended

Acidic and bitter, and the peel oils can cause stomach upset. There is no reason to feed it.

Serve Not recommended

A small pinch of cinnamon is harmless, but the powder can irritate a dog's airways and cassia cinnamon is high in coumarin.

Serve A tiny pinch only

Raw freshwater fish can carry parasites and an enzyme that destroys thiamine. Cook fish thoroughly and remove all bones.

Serve Cooked only

Raw meat can carry Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, which affect dogs and the people handling the food. Cooked is safer.

Serve Handle with care

Tuna is safe occasionally but accumulates mercury, and the brine or oil it is packed in adds salt or fat. Never make it a staple.

Serve Small amounts, occasionally

Liver and kidney are nutrient-dense, especially in vitamin A. Too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity.

Serve 1–2 times a week, small

Sliced ham and turkey are heavily salted and often preserved with nitrates. Not a healthy everyday treat.

Serve Avoid where possible

Low-fat cottage cheese suits some dogs, but lactose intolerance is common. Watch for gas or loose stools.

Serve 1 teaspoon to test

A popular high-value training treat, but high in fat and salt and often poorly digested. Keep it tiny and occasional.

Serve 1 small cube

Most adult dogs are lactose intolerant. A lap of milk often leads to gas and diarrhoea; use water instead.

Serve Not recommended

Pure fat with added salt. It offers no nutrition and can trigger pancreatitis or weight gain.

Serve Avoid

Very high in fat and poorly tolerated. Whipped cream on a dog treat is a recipe for an upset stomach.

Serve Avoid

Only purpose-made dog ice cream or frozen plain yogurt. Human ice cream contains too much sugar and lactose.

Serve Small portion

A small piece of plain bread is harmless, but it is empty calories. Never feed dough, and check for raisins or seeds.

Serve 1 small piece

Plain air-popped popcorn is safe in tiny amounts. Butter, salt and unpopped kernels are not.

Serve A few plain pieces

Safe in tiny amounts but high in fat and a choking risk. Never feed salted or roasted almonds, and avoid almond shells.

Serve 2–3 nuts, unsalted

Plain unsalted cashews are not toxic but are fatty and salty. Keep them rare and never feed them in shells.

Serve 2–3 nuts, unsalted

English walnuts are fatty; black walnuts are worse and can cause stomach upset. Mouldy nuts can carry tremorgenic toxins.

Serve Avoid

Very high in fat and a common cause of stomach upset in small dogs. Pecan shells are also a choking hazard.

Serve Avoid

Usually sold salted and in shells. The salt is a problem and the shells can cause a blockage.

Serve Avoid

Plain shelled sunflower seeds are safe in small numbers. The shells are sharp and salted seeds add too much sodium.

Serve A few, unsalted

Unsweetened coconut water is safe in small amounts but high in potassium, which matters for dogs with kidney or heart disease.

Serve Small amounts only

Juice concentrates sugar and strips out fibre. Grape juice is actively dangerous; most others simply add empty calories.

Serve Avoid

Unsweetened, unflavoured oat or almond milk is usually tolerated. Never choose versions sweetened with xylitol.

Serve Check the label

A tiny amount of honey is safe for most adult dogs and can soothe a sore throat. Never give it to puppies under one year.

Serve 1/4 teaspoon

Small amounts are sometimes used for coat condition, but it is pure fat and can cause loose stools or pancreatitis.

Serve 1/4 teaspoon

A few drops over food can help a dry coat. More than that adds unnecessary calories and can upset the stomach.

Serve 1/4 teaspoon

Salted roasted peanuts add sodium without benefit. Plain, unsalted peanuts in tiny amounts are preferable.

Serve Avoid