Onions are bad for dogs, in fact they are toxic to them and can cause death. And in general raw onions are much more toxic than onions that have been cooked but both can be toxic.
This might seem counterintuitive since many dog treats and dog foods are flavored with onions. But in general this is a very small amount and these onions have been processed a lot.
The real dangers lies in eating raw uncooked onions, although many people also say not to give cooked or even dehydrated onions either.
The danger with onions lies in the fact that they cause a condition called Heinz body anemia. This is the condition where the red blood cells develop bumps or become the misshaped.
Once a red blood cell becomes misshaped the body will kill that sell faster so you have fewer red blood cells circulating. Normally this condition doesn’t show up until a few days after the dog has eaten the onions.
If enough red blood cells die the dog will experience a condition called hemolytic anemia which could also damage the kidneys as well.
So if you’re wondering if onions are bad for dogs, they are. Also remember that the amount required to make a dog sick depends on the size of the dog. Right now we do not know how many onions it takes to make a dog sick, but if you’re going to feed a dog a hamburger it is best to remove any onions that are on top.
