My dog may have eaten a piece or slice of raw onion. He is about 24 pounds. Will he be OK? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

This is a small amount for a dog weighing 24 pounds. He should be fine and I don't anticipate any symptom to occur. If you see signs of lethargy, call your vet right away. Check out [this article](https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-best-and-worst-thanksgiving-foods-for-pets/) for more information on onion toxicity.

Having eaten a small piece of [onion](https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/onions) may not have detrimental effects. As with all poisons, the dosage is the determining factor. However you should monitor your dog for the following signs and if any occur within the next 48-72 hours, see a veterinarian immediately: * Drooling * Nausea * Vomiting * Oral irritation * Diarrhea * Lethargy * Abdominal pain * Elevated heart rate and respiratory rate * Weakness * Exercise intolerance * Collapse * Pale gums These are all signs of onion toxicity and should be addressed by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER.

Potential toxic effects would depend on the amount of [onion](https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/onions) ingested. Given the small amount ingested, there is likely little cause for concern regarding onion toxicity. Clinical signs are usually related to anemia, methemoglobinemia, and impaired oxygen transportation. Clinical signs may develop many days after ingestion, so it is quite important to monitor for signs such as lethargy, inappetence, collapsing, any vomiting, diarrhea and possibly coughing. If you notice any of these signs I would recommend to take him to your veterinarian for a check up and treatment.

My 24-pound dog ate a piece of raw onion. Should I be concerned?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

My dog may have eaten a piece or slice of raw onion. He is about 24 pounds. Will he be OK?

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM 87

Veterinarian

Published on February 14th, 2016

It typically takes ingestion of about 0.5% of your pet's body weight of onion to be at risk of onion related toxicity. This calculates out to be approximately 0.15 lbs, or around 2 ounces. Unless your pet ate anything close to that amount or more, it is not recommended to do decontamination for him. With a piece of [onion](https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/onions) that only weighs a few grams I would not be concerned. Just monitor him for the next couple of days for any GI upset, lethargy, panting or pale gums. And if he gets a hold of any more you can always contact the [Pet Poison Helpline](https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/). There is a charge associated with this call.

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My 24-pound dog ate a piece of raw onion. Should I be concerned?

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