What foods are toxic to dogs?

The most dangerous foods for dogs are chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, chives and leeks, xylitol (a sweetener), macadamia nuts, alcohol, caffeine, raw yeast bread dough, and the pits of cherries and other stone fruits. Salt, moldy food, and very fatty foods are also hazardous.

What should I do if my dog eats something toxic?

Contact your veterinarian or a pet poison control line immediately — in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661. Note what your dog ate, how much, and when. Do not induce vomiting unless a professional tells you to.

Foods Toxic to Dogs: The Complete List

Q: What is the most toxic food for dogs?

Xylitol, grapes and raisins, and dark or baking chocolate are among the most dangerous because small amounts can cause serious harm — xylitol can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar and liver failure, and grapes can cause kidney failure.

The human foods that are genuinely dangerous for dogs — why each one is harmful, and the warning signs to watch for.

Quick answer The foods most toxic to dogs are chocolate, grapes & raisins, onions, garlic, chives & leeks, xylitol (a sugar-free sweetener), macadamia nuts, alcohol, caffeine, and raw yeast bread dough. The pits of cherries and other stone fruits, plus moldy food, excess salt, and very fatty foods, are also hazardous. If your dog eats any of these, call your vet or a pet poison line right away.

🚨 Emergency: If your dog has eaten something on this list, don't wait for symptoms. Call your vet or, in the US, ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661.

The complete list of foods toxic to dogs

Food	Why it's dangerous	Watch for
Chocolate	Contains theobromine and caffeine, which dogs can't clear quickly. Dark and baking chocolate are worst.	Vomiting, restlessness, racing heart, tremors, seizures
Grapes & raisins	Can cause sudden kidney failure, even in small amounts. Includes currants and sultanas.	Vomiting, lethargy, reduced urination
Onions, garlic, chives, leeks	Allium vegetables damage red blood cells, causing anemia. Toxic raw, cooked, or powdered.	Weakness, pale gums, rapid breathing, dark urine
Xylitol	A sweetener in sugar-free gum, candy, and some peanut butters. Triggers a dangerous insulin surge and liver damage.	Weakness, collapse, vomiting, seizures
Macadamia nuts	Cause a specific toxic reaction in dogs even in small amounts.	Hind-leg weakness, tremors, vomiting, fever
Alcohol	Found in drinks, raw dough, and some desserts. Dogs are highly sensitive.	Disorientation, vomiting, slowed breathing, collapse
Caffeine	Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and pills. A stimulant dogs can't tolerate.	Restlessness, racing heart, tremors, seizures
Raw yeast bread dough	Expands in the warm stomach and ferments into alcohol.	Swollen belly, retching, weakness, disorientation
Cherry, peach & apricot pits	Pits and stems contain cyanide compounds; whole pits also cause blockages.	Difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, GI upset
Apple seeds	Seeds contain small amounts of cyanide (the flesh is safe).	Only a risk in large quantities — remove the core
Cooked bones	Splinter easily and can choke or perforate the gut.	Gagging, drooling, vomiting, straining
Moldy food	Mold produces tremorgenic mycotoxins. Keep dogs out of compost and trash.	Tremors, twitching, vomiting, seizures
Excess salt	Very salty foods (chips, jerky, play dough) can cause sodium poisoning.	Excessive thirst, vomiting, tremors, seizures
Raw potato & green tomato	Contain solanine when raw or green. Ripe tomato flesh and cooked potato are fine.	GI upset, lethargy, weakness
Nutmeg	Contains myristicin, toxic in larger amounts (watch holiday baking).	Disorientation, racing heart, high blood pressure
Wild & raw mushrooms	Many wild species are toxic and some are deadly; store mushrooms are fine.	Drooling, vomiting, liver signs, seizures
Very fatty / fried foods	Not toxic, but rich fatty foods can trigger painful, dangerous pancreatitis.	Vomiting, diarrhea, hunched posture, belly pain
Hops (home brewing)	Can cause a dangerous spike in body temperature in dogs.	Panting, high temperature, racing heart

The most dangerous of all

If you only remember a few, make them these: xylitol, grapes and raisins, and dark or baking chocolate. Each can cause serious harm from a relatively small amount. We have dedicated dose checkers for the most common emergencies: chocolate, xylitol, grapes & raisins, and onion & garlic.

What to do if your dog eats something toxic

Act fast, stay calm. Note what was eaten, roughly how much, and when.
Call a professional — your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 (US).
Don't induce vomiting unless a vet tells you to — for some toxins it makes things worse.
Keep packaging or a sample to show the vet.

⚠️ This list covers common hazards but isn't exhaustive, and individual dogs vary. When in doubt, treat it as an emergency and call your vet or a poison control line.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most toxic food for dogs?

Xylitol, grapes and raisins, and dark/baking chocolate are among the most dangerous because small amounts can cause serious harm — xylitol can crash blood sugar and damage the liver, and grapes can cause kidney failure.

How much chocolate is dangerous for a dog?

It depends on the type and your dog's weight. Dark and baking chocolate are far more toxic than milk chocolate. Use our chocolate toxicity calculator for an estimate, and call your vet if in doubt.

Are these foods toxic to cats too?

Many are — onions, garlic, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, and grapes are dangerous for cats as well. See our cat food safety checker.