Herbs & spices
Can dogs eat chives?
Chives are an allium, like onions and garlic, and can damage red blood cells in dogs. A sprinkle on food is unlikely to harm, but don’t feed them.
Why Organosulfur compounds that cause oxidative damage to red blood cells
By Maya HartIf your dog ate some
- Call your vet or a pet poison helpline straight away, even if your pet seems fine.
- Tell them what was eaten, roughly how much, when, and your pet’s weight.
- Do not try to make your pet sick unless a vet tells you to.
Signs to watch for
- Vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea
- Lethargy
- Pale gums
- Fast heart rate and breathing
- Dark urine
Dogs and cats, side by side
Dogs Toxic
No. Chives are an allium, like onions and garlic, and can damage red blood cells in dogs. A sprinkle on food is unlikely to harm, but don’t feed them.
Cats Toxic
No. Cats are especially sensitive to alliums. Keep chives — including pots on the windowsill — away from cats.
Can cats eat chives?The details
Chives are easy to overlook because they appear in small amounts as a garnish. The danger comes from pets nibbling herb pots, or eating dishes such as cheese-and-chive dips or omelettes. Cats that like to chew grassy plants may be drawn to them.
Poisoning is usually mild after a small amount, but the effects are cumulative, and anaemia can take days to show.
Safer treats your dog can have instead
Apples
- Dogs
- Safe
- Cats
- In moderation
Beef
Bell peppers
- Dogs
- Safe
- Cats
- In moderation
Blackberries
- Dogs
- Safe
- Cats
- In moderation
Questions owners ask
Can dogs eat chives?
No. Chives are an allium, like onions and garlic, and can damage red blood cells in dogs. A sprinkle on food is unlikely to harm, but don’t feed them.
What makes chives risky for dogs?
Organosulfur compounds that cause oxidative damage to red blood cells.
What are the signs to watch for in dogs?
vomiting, drooling and diarrhoea, lethargy, pale gums, fast heart rate and breathing, dark urine.
What should I do if my dog ate chives?
Call your vet or a pet poison helpline straight away, even if your pet seems fine. Tell them what was eaten, roughly how much, when, and your pet’s weight. Do not try to make your pet sick unless a vet tells you to.
Is chives safe for cats too?
No. Cats are especially sensitive to alliums. Keep chives — including pots on the windowsill — away from cats.
Sources
Tailwise is for general information and is reviewed by veterinary professionals, but it is not a substitute for advice from your own vet, who knows your pet. How we check facts
More foods for dogs
Garlic
Cinnamon
- Dogs
- In moderation
- Cats
- In moderation
Nutmeg
Ginger
- Dogs
- In moderation
- Cats
- In moderation