FrançaisWhich foods are toxic to dogs and cats?
The foods most often involved in pet poisonings are chocolate, xylitol (a sugar-free sweetener), onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts and alcohol [1]. Caffeine and raw bread dough are also dangerous [1, 14]. For cats, lilies are a major household danger, and onions and garlic harm cats even more than dogs [4, 8].
If your dog or cat has eaten one of them, do not wait for signs. Call your vet or a pet poison line now, whatever the amount [15].
Toxic foods and products at a glance
Each line links to a detailed article on the signs and on what the tests show.
| Food or product | Most at risk | What it harms | When signs appear | Main tests the vet uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate (the darker, the more dangerous; baking chocolate and cocoa are the worst) [15] | Dogs most often; cats can be poisoned too [1] | Heart and nervous system (theobromine and caffeine) [2] | Usually 6 to 12 hours; up to 72 hours in severe cases [2] | Heart rate and ECG, potassium; diagnosis rests on history and signs [2] |
| Caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks, caffeine pills) | Dogs most often [1] | Heart and nervous system, like chocolate [1, 15] | Within hours; caffeine is absorbed faster than theobromine [1] | Heart rate and ECG, potassium [2] |
| Grapes, raisins and currants | Dogs; in cats only anecdotal reports [3] | Kidneys [3] | Vomiting or diarrhea within 6 to 12 hours; kidney failure within 24 to 72 hours [3] | Creatinine and urea, calcium, phosphorus, urine output [3] |
| Onions, garlic, leeks and chives (raw, cooked or powdered) | Cats most, then dogs; Akita and Shiba dogs more sensitive [1, 4] | Red blood cells [4] | Red cells usually break down 3 to 5 days later [4] | Blood count and smear for Heinz bodies, urine for hemoglobin [4, 16] |
| Xylitol (sugar-free gum, sweets, some peanut butters) | Dogs only; cats are not at risk [5] | Blood sugar, sometimes the liver [5] | Low blood sugar from 30 minutes, up to 12 to 18 hours with some gums; liver signs after 24 to 48 hours or more [5] | Glucose every 1 to 2 hours, liver enzymes every 24 hours [5] |
| Macadamia nuts | Dogs only [6] | Weakness, wobbling, tremors, fever [6] | Within 12 hours; usually gone within 12 to 48 hours [6] | No specific test; mild, brief rises in triglycerides, lipase and ALP [6] |
| Avocado | Birds, rabbits, horses and livestock; dogs fairly resistant [7, 15] | Heart muscle in sensitive species; the pit can block a dog’s gut [7] | Heart signs within 24 to 48 hours in sensitive species [7] | No specific test; diagnosis rests on history and signs [7] |
| Lilies (true lilies and daylilies, including pollen and vase water) | Cats only; dogs get minor stomach upset [8] | Kidneys [8] | Early signs within 0 to 12 hours; kidney failure within 24 to 72 hours [8] | Kidney values and urinalysis; no test proves a lily was eaten [9] |
| Antifreeze (ethylene glycol, sweet tasting) | Dogs and cats; cats at a lower dose [10] | Brain first, then kidneys [10] | Drunk-like signs within 30 minutes to 12 hours; kidney failure at 12 to 24 hours in cats, 36 to 72 hours in dogs [10] | Ethylene glycol test, osmole and anion gaps, crystals in urine, kidney values [10] |
| Rat and mouse bait (anticoagulant types) | Dogs most often; cats less often [12] | Blood clotting [11] | Bleeding usually after 3 to 5 days [11] | Prothrombin time (PT) first, then aPTT [12] |
| Alcohol and raw yeast bread dough | Dogs most often [14] | Brain (alcohol); stomach swollen by rising dough [14] | Alcohol signs usually within an hour [1] | Blood glucose and acid–base balance; blood alcohol is not routinely available [14] |
Other rodent baits, such as bromethalin and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), act in different ways. That is why the vet needs the exact active ingredient, not just the brand name [13].
Cats are different
Dogs eat almost anything, so they are poisoned by food far more often than cats [1]. But some poisons are more dangerous for cats.
- Lilies: the whole plant is toxic to cats, even pollen licked off the fur or water from the vase. Kidney failure can follow in less than 3 days. If treatment is delayed by 18 hours or more, kidney damage is generally irreversible [8].
- Onions and garlic: cats are the most sensitive species, followed by dogs. Concentrated forms, such as powders and dry soup mixes, are the most common cause [4]. Many healthy cats already carry small Heinz bodies in their red cells, which is abnormal in other species [16].
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen): this human painkiller is not a food, but it damages red blood cells in the same way and causes Heinz body anemia in cats [16].
- Antifreeze: a smaller dose can kill a cat than a dog, and kidney failure starts sooner: 12 to 24 hours after drinking it, against 36 to 72 hours in dogs [10].
- Less of a risk for cats: xylitol poisoning has only been reported in dogs, as has macadamia nut poisoning [5, 6]. Kidney failure after grapes has been reported only anecdotally in cats [3].
Read more: lily toxicity in cats and chocolate and cats.
What to do right away
- Call now, even if your pet seems fine: your vet, an emergency clinic or a pet poison line such as ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 [15]. Some poisons cause no signs for hours or days [3, 11].
- Note what, how much and when: ASPCA Poison Control asks owners to note the amount eaten [15]. With antifreeze and lilies, the sooner treatment starts, the better the outlook [8, 10].
- Bring the packaging, label or plant: for rat bait, the vet needs the active ingredient [13]. For lilies, bring the plant or a photo of it [8].
- No home remedies: do not try to make your pet vomit or give any product unless the vet tells you to. With xylitol, for example, blood sugar can fall fast, so vomiting should only be induced under veterinary supervision [5].
What the vet checks, and why
With chocolate, macadamia nuts and avocado, no blood test proves the poisoning: the diagnosis rests on what the animal ate and on its signs [2, 6, 7]. The tests then look for the damage each poison can cause, and they are often repeated, because values can change over hours or days.
- Heart rate, ECG and potassium: chocolate and caffeine can cause abnormal heart rhythms, and potassium can fall late in the course [2]. See potassium in dogs and cats.
- Blood glucose: the first value after xylitol, checked every 1 to 2 hours for at least 12 hours [5]. Raw bread dough can also lower blood sugar [14]. See blood sugar in dogs.
- Kidney values: creatinine and urea after grapes, lilies or antifreeze. After grapes, kidney function is followed for at least 72 hours [1, 3, 10].
- Blood count and smear: looks for anemia and Heinz bodies after onions or garlic [4, 16]. See the CBC for dogs.
- Clotting times: after anticoagulant rat bait, the PT is prolonged earlier than the aPTT, and the platelet count is often normal [12].
- Blood gases and osmolality: within 3 hours of drinking antifreeze, blood tests can show acid build-up and a high osmole gap [10].
- Urinalysis: calcium oxalate crystals after antifreeze, hemoglobin after onion damage, and how much urine the kidneys still make after grapes [3, 4, 10]. See urinalysis for dogs and cats.
How often poisonings happen
A Kansas veterinary laboratory received 1,616 calls about possible poisonings in 3 years (2009 to 2012). Dogs were involved in 84.7% of calls and cats in 15.3%. Foods made up 14.8% of calls, behind medicines (35.4%) and household chemicals (15.5%) [17]. Among foods, chocolate came first, followed by xylitol, onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts and alcohol [1]. Calls measure concern, not the true number of poisonings [17].
Chocolate is among the 10 most common poisonings of dogs reported to the UK Veterinary Poisons Information Service and to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center [1]. In 2.7 million records from 229 UK practices (2012 to 2017), 375 dogs were seen for eating chocolate. The odds of a chocolate visit were 4.7 times higher at Christmas and about twice as high at Easter. None of these dogs had life-threatening signs [18].
In France, the national veterinary poison center in Lyon (CNITV) receives more than 22,000 calls a year: 69.9% about dogs and 23.3% about cats [19].
Related articles
Fruit and other foods people ask about: fruit pits and seeds, nuts and tomatoes.
En français : aliments toxiques pour le chien et le chat.
Questions to ask your veterinarian
- Which tests does my pet need for what it ate, and how often will they be repeated?
- How long should my pet stay under watch, and which signs should I look for at home?
- Are the kidney values, glucose and potassium normal today?
- Does the blood count show anemia or Heinz bodies?
- Are the clotting times normal, and when should they be rechecked?
Get your pet’s blood and urine results explained after a poisoning.
AI DiagAnimals reads glucose, kidney values, potassium, the blood count, clotting times and the urinalysis together with your laboratory’s intervals, and prepares the questions for your vet. The service opens soon: leave your email to be told first.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most poisonous things a dog can eat?
Among foods: chocolate, xylitol, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, macadamia nuts and alcohol [1]. Outside the kitchen, antifreeze and rat bait are among the most dangerous: antifreeze tastes sweet and a small amount can kill, and rat bait causes bleeding only 3 to 5 days later [10, 11]. Call your vet or a pet poison line whatever the amount.
What is the number one most toxic food for dogs?
There is no single ranking. Chocolate is the food most often involved in calls to poison centers [1], while xylitol can make blood sugar crash within 30 minutes and grapes can cause kidney failure in some dogs [3, 5].
What fruit can’t dogs eat?
Grapes, raisins, Zante currants and tamarinds have been linked to kidney failure in dogs. True currants (Ribes) have not [3]. The avocado pit can also block a dog’s gut [7].
Can cats eat human food?
Some human foods are dangerous for cats. Onions and garlic, raw, cooked or powdered, harm cats even more than dogs [4], and chocolate can poison cats too [1]. Xylitol and macadamia poisoning have only been reported in dogs [5, 6]. Ask your vet before sharing food.
What is a silent killer for cats?
Among poisons, lilies and antifreeze. After a lily, early signs can be as mild as drooling or eating less, yet kidney failure can follow within 24 to 72 hours [8]. After antifreeze, a cat may seem to recover briefly before its kidneys fail, 12 to 24 hours after drinking it [10].
Sources
- Cortinovis C, Caloni F. Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats. Front Vet Sci. 2016;3:26. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2016.00026
- Hayes C. Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2026. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/chocolate-toxicosis-in-animals
- Hayes C. Grape, Raisin, and Tamarind Toxicosis in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/grape-raisin-and-tamarind-vitis-spp-tamarindus-spp-toxicosis-in-dogs
- Hayes C. Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/garlic-and-onion-allium-spp-toxicosis-in-animals
- Hayes C. Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2025. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/xylitol-toxicosis-in-dogs
- Hayes C. Macadamia Nut Toxicosis in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/macadamia-nut-toxicosis-in-dogs
- Hayes C. Avocado (Persea spp) Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/avocado-persea-spp-toxicosis-in-animals
- US Food and Drug Administration. Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination. 2021. fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/lovely-lilies-and-curious-cats-dangerous-combination
- Fitzgerald KT. Lily toxicity in the cat. Top Companion Anim Med. 2010;25(4):213-217. doi.org/10.1053/j.tcam.2010.09.006
- Regehr T. Ethylene Glycol Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2024. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/ethylene-glycol-toxicosis/ethylene-glycol-toxicosis-in-animals
- Stroope S et al. Retrospective Evaluation of Clinical Bleeding in Dogs With Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicity – A Multi-Center Evaluation of 62 Cases (2010–2020). Front Vet Sci. 2022;9:879179. doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.879179
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Vitamin K. eclinpath.com/hemostasis/disorders/vitamin-k
- DeClementi C, Sobczak BR. Common Rodenticide Toxicoses in Small Animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2018;48(6):1027-1038. doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2018.06.006
- Hayes C. Bread Dough Toxicosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated 2025. merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/food-hazards/bread-dough-toxicosis-in-animals
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets. aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
- eClinPath, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Red blood cell inclusions. eclinpath.com/hematology/morphologic-features/red-blood-cells/rbc-inclusions
- Mahdi A, Van der Merwe D. Dog and cat exposures to hazardous substances reported to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: 2009-2012. J Med Toxicol. 2013;9(2):207-211. doi.org/10.1007/s13181-013-0289-8
- Noble PM et al. Heightened risk of canine chocolate exposure at Christmas and Easter. Vet Rec. 2017;181(25):684. doi.org/10.1136/vr.104762
- Centre National d’Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires (CNITV), VetAgro Sup (in French). vetagro-sup.fr/recherche-expertise/centre-national-dinformations-toxicologiques-veterinaires-cnitv
Laboratory methods and reference intervals vary. This article explains; it does not diagnose. For a decision about your pet, use the original report and talk to your veterinarian. Our editorial policy.