Onion Toxicity In Dogs
Dogs have short life spans thus pet owner would want to keep the pet healthy to lengthen the years the dog will be with the family. Pets would be provided with highly nutritious foods, supplements and vitamins. Commercially prepared foods would not be enough as owners would give the pet home cooked meals. Unfortunately, the owner's good intentions can have dangerous effects on the pet. Some foods safe for people to consume would poison the pet. Onions are one of the people foods poisonous to dogs.
Dogs would suffer from poisoning by eating raw, cooked or dishes that have onion as an ingredient. Thiosulphate, the substance contained by onions has toxic effect on dogs. Dogs do not have the enzyme necessary to digest onions thus these human-safe foods become poisonous to dogs.
Severity of poisoning will depend on the amount of onion consumed by the dog. Dogs are voracious eaters and a big bowl of onion rings would be too tempting for the pet to resist. The dog will suffer from the fatal effects of onions if significant amounts was consumed in one meal. If the pet eats small amounts of dishes containing onions regularly, it would take a few days before toxicity symptoms will be seen.
Onion toxicity can cause liver damage and allergic reactions. Generally, dogs that have consumed onions would vomit and have diarrhea. Others can have asthma attacks. Hemolytic anemia is the most dangerous effect of onion toxicity in dogs. This condition that is also known as Heinz body anemia can have a fatal effect on dogs as it affects hemoglobin. Hemoglobin in the red blood cells is responsible for distributing oxygen from the lungs to the different cells in the body.
Dogs do not have the enzyme that will digest thiosulphate thus this substance found in onions will oxidize hemoglobin. The oxidation of hemoglobin will result to the formation of bubble-like clumps in the red blood cells. Known as Heinz bodies, these clumps will burst thereby causing premature mass destruction of red blood cells. The bone marrow has the function of repairing damaged red blood cells but the bone marrow's function will be ineffective if the red blood cells destruction is massive. Massive destruction of red blood cells will hamper its normal functioning so that the vital organs will have insufficient supply of oxygen.
Dogs are not picky eaters thus it would not be necessary for the pet owner to enhance the taste of the dog's food with onions. Even without onions, the pet would certainly appreciate the food.
