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My dog ate nutmeg. How much is too much? What symptoms to watch for?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Labrador | Male | neutered | 2 years and 2 months old | 60 lbs

How much nutmeg is too much for a 30 kg dog? (Mine ate about 1/2 tablespoons in a pumpkin pie) What is the amount of time I need to be on lookout for symptoms to appear?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 23rd, 2017

It's not likely that Oliver got a big enough dose to cause any signs of toxicity. Nutmeg toxicity is quite rare and is actually a rather mild toxicant. It has been reported to cause drooling, vomiting and behavior change (causes hallucinations in people) in dogs receiving two tablespoons or more. If Oliver has excessive vomiting and/or a drastic change in behavior, then it would be best to take him to the vet for treatment and monitoring. Otherwise, he should be fine to observe at home for the next 24 hours. If he is fine after 24 hours, then you'll know that he did not receive a toxic dose and should not have any problems related to the nutmeg. I hope that helps and all is well with Oliver.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Lauren Barry, BVSc, MRCVS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 23rd, 2017

    HI there, that sounds like typical Labrador behavior. I'm pretty sure that Oliver will be fine - but I wouldn't be surprised if he has a stomach upset in the next 1-2 days. Occasionally eating a load of foods higher in fat (pastry with butter) can trigger pancreatitis - this shows as severe vomiting with or without diarrhea and lethargy - if your dog seems to have low energy or appetite in the next couple of days, take Oliver to your vet for further tests and treatment.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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