Counter-Surfing Pooch Poisoned by Poultry Seasonings
Holiday Foods Containing Onions and Garlic Can Be Dangerous to Pets
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Just before Thanksgiving last year, Kiana Sutherlin was frying chicken wings on the stove, adding garlic and onion powder to give them a little extra kick. Instead of a tasty treat, she and her dog Snoopy got a trip to the emergency pet hospital.
"Snoopy is a notorious counter surfer," Sutherlin joked. "We've tried to train him, but it's his way or no way. I was cooking some fried chicken wings, and I added several ounces of both onion and garlic powder. I also used a full bottle of cooking oil, and what was left of a second bottle. After I was done cooking, I placed the pan full of used oil at the back of the stovetop and covered it so Snoopy couldn't get to it. I then left it to my husband Joe to clean up the next day."
Just as Joe was about to dump the oil the next day, he got a phone call. That was Snoopy's opportunity.
"Joe left the kitchen for a few minutes to take a call, and Snoopy swooped in," Sutherlin continued. "When he got back, he found the dog had licked up almost all the oil, which of course contained a large amount of the seasoning. I wasn't there, so I'm not sure how his mood started, but Snoopy began throwing up the oil. I stayed with him the next day, and he was whining and crying while continuing to vomit. I called the emergency veterinarian, and they recommended I call Pet Poison Helpline."
"Onions and garlic can be deadly to pets if ingested in a large enough quantity, with garlic being five times as potent," explained Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. "Snoopy consumed used cooking oil that contained large amounts of onion and garlic powder, which is even more concentrated and therefore more dangerous."
Once on the phone with Pet Poison Helpline, Kiana provided the toxicology experts with a list and amount of all the seasonings she included with the oil. After considering Snoopy's size and other factors, they recommended that Sutherlin take him to the veterinarian, so it was off to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Arden Hills, Minn.
"We really got into the detail of not just the oil, but the seasoning," Sutherlin explained. "Because we had called Pet Poison Helpline in advance, they were able to develop a recommended treatment plan that was ready by the time we got to the hospital."
The medical team was concerned about aspiration risk, gastrointestinal upset and pancreatitis from the cooking oil. There was also a potential risk of red blood cell damage from the garlic and onion powders depending on how much he ingested. Based on the symptoms Snoopy was having, he was treated with an anti-emetic to stop the vomiting, fluid therapy to rehydrate him, and gastrointestinal protectants to help minimize his risk of diarrhea and gastrointestinal irritation. To address the onion and garlic powder concerns, bloodwork was recommended to be performed every few days to monitor his red blood cell count for the next week.
Thanks to the lifesaving work of the medical team, Snoopy made a full recovery and he's back to his energetic self.
"Snoopy is very sweet, but he's a bull in a China shop," Sutherlin added. "No matter what we do, it's his way, so we had to change our habits. We make sure all garbage is secure and we clean up right after we cook. In fact, now that I think about it, the whole thing was so traumatic that we haven't fried anything since then."
Pet Poison Helpline created Toxin Tails to educate the veterinary community and pet lovers on the many types of poisoning dangers facing pets, both in and out of the home. All the pets highlighted in Toxin Tails have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.
About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline®, your trusted source for toxicology and pet health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Per incident and subscription service options are available. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified toxicologists provide treatment advice for all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline's fee of $89 per incident includes follow-up consultations for the duration of the case. The company also offers pethelpline(SM) and pethelplinePRO(SM) subscription services directly to pet lovers. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information, including a chat feature for pet owners, can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
Contact: Curtis Steinhoff
Pet Poison Helpline®
(602) 300-8466
csteinhoff@petpoisonhelpline.com
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SOURCE Pet Poison Helpline