Can Dogs Eat Chives?

You're peckish, and you want some salty snacks. Whilst they might be an option for you, cream cheese and chive crackers for your dog is a bad idea. 

Chives are poisonous to dogs, like every other member of the allium family. That includes garlic, leeks and onions in varying degrees. All of these plants are harmful and should always be avoided. 

can dogs eat chives allium family member

Symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Abnormally high respiratory rate
  • Collapse
  • Diarrhoea
  • Excessive drooling
  • Inability to exercise
  • Irritation of the mouth
  • Lethargy
  • Nausea
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Vomiting
  • Weakness
  • White or very pale gums

Even in small amounts, I don't recommend letting your dog eat chives. They are toxic to dogs and in large quantities, can have life-threatening effects. 

Chives have a natural deterrent that, when damaged, converts to sulphur compounds. It's usually to protect the plant from insects and pests, but unfortunately, it also works against our furry companions. 

If your dog has symptoms and you think they have eaten chives, you should contact your vet immediately and request treatment. 

They will probably ask questions such as: What food did your dog eat and how much? What symptoms does your dog have, and when did you first notice them?

These questions will help your vet choose the most appropriate treatment. Often testing will include taking a blood and urine sample, and a biochemistry profile.

can dogs eat chives poisonous

Top Tips:

  • What about cooked chives? Nope. Regardless of how you prepare them, chives are poisonous to cats and dogs. 
  • You must recognise harmful foods for dogs so you can respond accordingly. If you see signs of poisoning, always seek guidance from your vet. It's better to be safe than sorry.
  • There's a few different types of poisoning that look similar to chive poisoning. Your vet may do additional testing to rule these out. 

Treatment Plan

Unfortunately, there is no real remedy for chive poisoning. Despite this, some supportive treatments that can help handle the toxicity: 

Emesis - By inducing vomiting, your vet will attempt to decontaminate your dog's digestive system. Afterwards, they will use activated charcoal to stop the absorption of any more toxins into the body.

IV Fluids - IV fluids will help reduce dehydration and flush the toxins out quicker. It might also stabilise blood oxygen levels. 

If your dog is repeatedly vomiting or has diarrhoea, your vet might give crystalloids to relieve the symptoms.

Monitoring - You'll need to monitor your dog for several days to make sure symptoms aren't developing. It might include checking the levels of blood cells. Some vets might decide to administer antioxidants; however, there are no studies that prove their effectiveness yet.