When you buy a bag of dog food or treats, you don’t think to check the list of ingredients. After all, why would a company put anything that could harm a dog into their food? Milo’s Kitchen Beef Jerky treats have an ingredient that is rather troubling. Last on the list is onion extract. Most dog owners know onion is toxic to dogs. To a large dog it may take a large quantity to actually cause harm, however in the smaller breeds it may take next to none.

So what exactly can onions do to your dog? Onion toxicity in dogs can cause anemia, so what exactly is anemia?

Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen to the tissues. The oxidants in onions cause the formation of Heinz-bodies creating red bloods cells that are rigid and unable to function properly. The red blood cells rupture and are filtered out of the bloodstream.

Anemia is the condition where the number of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin is unusually low. Since red blood cells carry much needed oxygen to the tissues and organs, lack of red blood cells can create a range of problems including heart failure.

Onion toxicity in dogs can cause Heinz-body hemolytic anemia, a serious and deadly condition. I urge all dog owners to always read the label on dog treats, you never know what might be lurking inside.