Foods toxic to dogs: an Indian kitchen safety list

Onion and garlic belong to the Allium family. They contain sulphur compounds that damage a dog's red blood cells. Merck's veterinary manual says raw, cooked, dehydrated and granulated forms can all cause illness, and that concentrated forms such as dried flakes, powders and soup mixes are the ones most often involved in dogs and cats. Garlic is about three to five times as toxic as onion.

The damage is slow to show. Red blood cells usually break down 3 to 5 days after the meal, and signs appear only once a lot of damage has been done: weakness, pale gums, yellow gums or eyes, dark urine, fast breathing and collapse. That is why a dog that ate a bowl of leftover dal makhani on Sunday can look fine until Wednesday. ASPCA Animal Poison Control says dogs are at risk depending on how much they eat, and that cats are more sensitive.

In an Indian home the risk is rarely a raw onion. It is the tadka on dal, the gravy poured over rice for the dog, the leftover biryani, or a chicken curry with the pieces picked out. Removing the onion pieces does not remove what has cooked into the gravy. If your dog eats a large helping of onion or garlic food, or eats it often, call your vet.

PDSA's vets say the toxic amount varies from dog to dog and in some cases can be very small, and that a dog that ate grapes before without trouble can still be badly poisoned the next time. ASPCA Animal Poison Control names tartaric acid as the suspected toxin. Merck's owner pages say vomiting or diarrhoea usually starts within 6 to 12 hours, and kidney failure can develop within 1 to 3 days.

The hopeful part: PDSA says dogs treated quickly are likely to make a full recovery. So the rule is simple. Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas, including the ones in kheer, halwa, pulao, fruit cake and dry-fruit boxes, mean a call to your vet as soon as you know, not when the dog looks ill.

Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which ASPCA Animal Poison Control groups with chocolate because both are methylxanthines with similar signs: vomiting, diarrhoea, panting, thirst, hyperactivity, an abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures. The risk rises with the amount of caffeine, so a lick of milky chai is a different thing from a dog that ate a spoonful of instant coffee or a packet of tea leaves.

Chai also brings milk and sugar. ASPCA notes that pets have little of the enzyme that digests milk sugar, so dairy often causes diarrhoea. Keep cups off low tables and teach the household, including domestic help, not to offer the dog the last of the cup. If your dog gets into coffee, tea leaves or an energy drink, call your vet.

Avocado is a much bigger danger to birds, rabbits and horses than to dogs. ASPCA Animal Poison Control says the biggest concern is heart damage in birds and rabbits; the stone is still a choking and blockage risk for a dog. Nutmeg in a spoon of kheer is unlikely to matter: Pet Poison Helpline says a pet would need to eat a very large amount, although a dog that gets into the spice jar or a nutmeg oil needs a call to the vet.

Coconut flesh and coconut milk contain oils that may cause loose stools, and small amounts are unlikely to cause serious harm, according to ASPCA. Citrus fruit in small amounts usually causes only mild stomach upset. For the full list of what an Indian dog can eat and how to serve it, see the guide to Indian foods dogs can eat.

We searched on 21 October 2026 for a national animal poison control service in India and found none. India's National Poisons Information Centre at AIIMS New Delhi runs a round-the-clock advisory service for healthcare professionals, public health agencies and the public; its own page does not mention animals, so treat it as a human service. Some state veterinary hospitals and animal welfare groups run local helplines, but we could not confirm any that is a dedicated poison line.

The two best-known animal poison lines are American. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, on (888) 426-4435, is open 24 hours a day and says a consultation fee may apply; its page does not say whether it takes calls from outside the US. Pet Poison Helpline says its service covers the US, Canada and the Caribbean and charges a fee per incident. In practice, in India, call your vet or a 24-hour vet clinic. Petym's city pages list 24-hour vets we have checked.

When someone else is feeding your dog, the risk shifts to habits you cannot see. Write the rules down: what your dog eats, what treats are allowed, and that no human food, tadka or gravy goes in the bowl. A Petym sitter will follow the pet's plan as you write it and log each meal as it happens.

If a Petym sitter thinks your dog has eaten something toxic, the sitter will call you and take the dog to the nearest 24-hour vet on the city's list. Every Petym sitter completes pet first-aid training before their first booking.