Can Dogs Eat Egg Rolls?

Egg rolls are not a good snack for dogs. Many are filled with onion or garlic, which can damage a dog’s red blood cells, and they are also salty and fried in oil. One bite may do no harm. A whole egg roll, or several, is a reason to call your vet.

Why are egg rolls bad for dogs?

Recipes differ, but three things show up again and again: onion or garlic, salt, and grease. Each one can cause trouble.

• Onion and garlic. These belong to the allium family, along with chives and leeks. The ASPCA says they can upset the stomach and harm red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. That means the blood can’t carry enough oxygen.
• Salt. Egg rolls and their dipping sauces can be salty. The ASPCA says too much salt can make pets very thirsty, and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and seizures.
• Grease. Fried food is rich and fatty. The Merck Veterinary Manual says eating trash, table scraps, or other food a dog shouldn’t have is thought to be a common risk for pancreatitis. That is a painful swelling of the pancreas, an organ that helps with digestion.

How dangerous are onion and garlic in an egg roll?

It depends on how much your dog ate and how much onion or garlic was in the filling. The Merck Veterinary Manual says dogs can be affected by onion and garlic that is raw, cooked, dried, or powdered. It also says garlic is 3 to 5 times more toxic than onion.

The manual gives a number only for raw onion: signs followed 15 to 30 grams of raw onion for each kilogram of a dog’s weight. It gives no safe amount for cooked or powdered forms. We can’t tell you how much is “too much” in an egg roll, because the filling is different every time. Small dogs are at higher risk from the same amount.

What signs should I watch for?

Onion and garlic damage does not show up right away. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, red blood cells usually break down 3 to 5 days after eating, and signs often appear only after a lot of damage. Look for:

• Tiredness and weakness
• Not wanting to eat
• Fast breathing or a fast heartbeat
• Not wanting to exercise
• Yellow gums or eyes
• Dark or red-brown urine
• Collapse

For grease and salt, watch for vomiting, diarrhea, and belly pain. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, belly pain, and diarrhea as signs of severe pancreatitis.

What should I do if my dog ate an egg roll?

1. Take away anything left, and check the ingredients if you have the menu or package.
2. Call your vet or a poison hotline. Tell them your dog’s weight, how much was eaten, and when.
3. Give fresh water. Salt makes dogs thirsty. The Merck Veterinary Manual says to offer water in small amounts at regular times, not a huge bowl at once, when a dog has had too much salt.
4. Don’t make your dog vomit unless a vet says to.
5. Watch your dog for several days. Call your vet if you see any signs above.

If your dog ate it recently, a vet may make your dog vomit with a safe medicine, give fluids, and run blood tests. The Merck Veterinary Manual says getting the food out early is recommended after a recent meal.

Also call the vet if your dog has vomiting or belly pain after eating greasy food. Don’t hold back food and water at home on your own. The Merck Veterinary Manual says that should only happen under a vet’s direction.

What can my dog have instead?

Try a treat made for dogs. Or offer a small piece of a plain food, such as cooked chicken with no seasoning, or a carrot stick. Keep treats to about 10% of your dog’s daily calories.

To avoid trouble, keep takeout bags and plates out of reach, and put leftovers in the fridge right away. For more on dinner-table dangers, see fried chicken for dogs, onions, and our list of foods that are toxic to dogs.