Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

Stigen — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:06:25 GMT

Thank you so much for a good answer.Makes me feel better about my responsibility in her death

I have just found this spicemix that was used on the meat she have, and I realise that only 1/4 of the bag was used. So she did get some onion from this meat, but very much less than the toxic dose..like much less. But it was just too random that she started becoming lethargic 8-12 hours after eating it. So am left to think that maybe it triggered an IMHA , and possibly DIC (or that could have been developing already and potentiated by the hemolytic effect of the onion)....and then she had this massive unstopping hemolysis. I did give Dexamthasone, but to start on an anti inflammatory dose , but then last day I gave full immunosuppressive dose, but it had no effekt.
The second blood transfer was with the same blood from DEA negative dog, about 36 hours after the first. Where the first lasted 22 hours, this one was totally hemolysed in 6-7 hours. I gave 120ml first time and 100ml second time, she was 5 kg.

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

Glen McIntosh — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:27:05 GMT

Very sorry for your loss.

For what it’s worth, I also suspect onion toxicity to be less likely. Those cases seem to do pretty well with recovering spontaneously or perhaps needing a single transfusion to tide them over at most. They generally don’t tend to be associated with thrombocytopenia, either.

Also, as an aside, I have recently come to question my ability to recognize Heinz bodies. I had a zinc intoxication recently where I removed a metallic fb from the stomach and the dog recovered fully after 1 blood transfusion. I could have sworn I had seen large numbers of Heinz bodies on the blood smear I did on presentation, so I was very surprised when the external lab pathologist blood smear interpretation on the same initial blood sample stated that there were no Heinz bodies to be seen! So it wasn’t a zinc intoxication, then? But why did it get better spontaneously after the metallic FB removal and no other treatment? It wasn’t a gi bleed because I had scoped it and there was no sign of GI bleeding.

And again, for what it’s worth, when I am seeing really severe and rapid drops in PCV, where there hasn’t been a documented or highly suspected bleed, and especially when blood transfusions are getting chewed through rapidly, my first thought is generally IMHA. And a bit of dexamethasone never hurts. Nor a bit of paracetamol either for that matter.

And you might not see a regenerative response in some types of IMHA where the immune system is attacking the precursor rbcs, not just (or instead of) circulating rbcs.

Similarly, I don’t think giving the second transfusion was risky, it takes several days for significant levels of alloantibodies to develop.

I think you did everything you could.

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

Stigen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:48:59 GMT

She was 5kg..so small..Lepto could fit cause she was all yellow, but only bilirubin was high from hemolysis.. i was just thinking it was bad giving any paracetamol when there already is oxidative damage, and probably body won't be able to metabolize the added paracetamol.

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

Stigen — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:46:06 GMT

It is really hard. I feel like I failed her. I'm thinking maybe if I referred early someone better could save her. And thinking was I just being cheap? I would gladly pay 5000£ if it would save her..but I thought i should do it as the person in the world who loves her most

There was lots of Heinz bodies, that is pretty much pathognomic for onion toxicosis(or paracetamol or zinc, which she did not have)

I was not seeing much reticulocyte response during 5 days, and the plate lets were super low from first sample, which I think might indicate secondary DIC/ Evans syndrome..which is super rare, but typical to happen to my dog.

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

janine redman — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:48:27 GMT

So sorry for you and your loss.it is so hard to lose a friend especially when the bond is so strong . I know you did everything you could and it’s heartbreaking to watch them fade away.

my only query is why the bone marrow did not show any regeneration, even on those last blood results there is no indication of bone marrow response to anaemia . I would expect a generalised bone marrow increase within 3-5 days of an anaemia and I am not seeing that . I am not a pathologist but I would be thinking bone marrow shut down if there was no neutrophilia response to anaemia and steroid administration?

Like michael wood house I would be sceptical above onion / garlic toxicosis, though I have only seen a couple of cases in my career

take care of yourself

RE: Treating you own dog? Exp. of Onion toxicosis?

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:38:48 GMT

My understanding was paracetamol at significant overdose has been linked to haemaolyisis, but I don't believe that at the relatively tiny 10mg/kg* there is any risk and I've used it lots of time in IMHA dogs that have gone on to get better.

(remember Pardale V licensed at 33mg/kg and oral bioavailability of paracetamol basically 100% so you could give 3X or more very safely)

I wonder about Lepto, but would expect biochemistry to be worse in such a clinically affected dog.

How heavy was the beastie?

I also think you were worrying too soon regarding antibodies - more blood may have given you more time to figure out what was going on, but it sounds like it was her time and she went quickly. I remain unconvinced that this is a genuine onion/garlic toxicity and therefore absolutely not your fault. Look at toxic doses needed to cause problems, 50g onion/10kg. That's a lot of just onion.