Can Dogs Eat Poppy Seeds

Can a Dog Have Poppy Seed Muffins?

Poppy seeds have been a long controversial topic, and by now, you’ve probably heard that they’re bad for dogs. But how? We’ll get into that later. If you think about it though, poppy seeds have caused many people problems. Many people have literally lost jobs and failed drug tests because they’ve regularly consumed poppy seeds, or used them in baking. Even though poppy seeds don’t have any levels of drugs in them to cause a legitimate problem or intoxication in a human, they do have trace amounts of opioids that can end up causing problems in their lives. Dogs often don’t care about what they’re consuming if it tastes good though – and that’s where a big problem lies. Especially if the product has poppy seeds on or in it (like poppy seed buns, etc.). It may be hard to keep your dog from eating poppy seeds, but if your dog gets ahold of them, should you worry? Let’s find out!

Can a Dog Eat Poppy Seeds?

By all means a dog CAN eat puppy seeds, but they definitely shouldn’t. You need to be careful and keep them away from your pet. Poppy seeds are extremely toxic to dogs. As a matter of fact, any part of a poppy plant is poisonous for your dog. Depending on the species of plant the seeds are from, the toxicity level may be higher or lower as well. While some have higher strengths of opiates, some may be more toxic than others for your pet.

Will My Dog Die if it Ate Poppy Seeds?

These seeds are pretty common in a lot of foods in a person’s home as a seasoning and a decoration. However, depending on how much is consumed is the main factor that can harm your dog. If your dog ended up eating a bun (or package of them) and they’re a full-grown lab, they’re probably not going to die. They may however get a slight bit of intoxication from them (since their bodies metabolize things faster and differently than humans). But if you have a dog that’s a small puppy, and they end up getting into a bunch of them, then this could be potentially fatal for your dog.

More importantly, poppy seeds, although toxic to your dog, would have to be consumed in a larger quantity. If you had a whole bag of poppy seeds as a baking item for example, and your dog eats the bag, then this could be drastically dangerous. In “just enough” amounts that are ingested, your dog could still get seriously ill, or even die. The ASPCA and Pet poison control line do state they’re dangerous, but they don’t actually say “how much is enough” either. Therefore, it’s a good idea just to know that your dog shouldn’t eat them – and probably never let them consume them at all costs.

Why Are Poppy Seeds Bad Juju?

First off, poppy seeds are an ingredient that contains small amounts of opiates. Each seed has different levels, and these are the chemical type that can be deadly to your dog. Opiates, if ingested can attack your dog’s nervous system. Poppy seeds also are high in alkaloids, and these can cause problems not only to the nervous system of your dog, but also hurt their brain functioning. Therefore, poppy seeds (and plants) can cause opioid poisoning in your dog, which is why it’s commonly called “poppy poisoning”.

How to Tell if Your Dog’s Poppy Poisoned

Just as with onion toxicity and other items that can cause problems for your dog toxically, you should look for various symptoms that they are having and get ahold of your vet. Depending on what signs they have, you may need to rush your pet to the vet’s office much faster so your pet doesn’t have any severe health issues or damage to their bodies. Look for some of these:

  • They act drunk when walking (or have limited coordination when moving about)
  • Your dog is wheezing or having troubles breathing
  • Your dog’s breathing and heart rate are drastically slowed down.
  • Your dog is spacing out or acts like they don’t really know you.
  • Your dog has more sporadic hyperactive moments for no reason (just like people who are jacked up on morphine have been known to do).
  • They don’t want to eat or drink anything.
  • They have a seizure
  • Their pupils are very tiny (called a pinpoint pupil), and they look like they’re staring constantly with their “beady” eyes.

Opioid poisoning can kill your dog faster than it ever could a human, so it’s crucial that if you notice these signs, that you take your dog immediately to the vet – especially if you know or think he’s eaten poppy seeds.

So I Just Take Them To the Vet?

Of course you have to take them to the vet, but there are other things that you can do. Of course, doing everything you can to keep your dog from eating poppy seeds is the first and foremost. Anything that your dog could eat with poppy seeds needs to be put away high where they can’t reach.

If your dog eats (or you think they ate) poppy seeds, seek immediate medical attention. Some people don’t even know that poppies are poisonous to dogs since tiny amounts may not do any harm. When you take your dog, let them know that you think they got into poppy seeds so the vet can administer the right treatment.

Conclusion

Poppy seeds., plants, opioids, and opiates are all extremely harmful to your dog. Poppy seeds may contain small amounts of opiates, but when have you ever known a dog who got into something, they like to just eat a tiny amount of it? Therefore, it’s a good idea that you keep poppy seeds, and any of these foods as far away from your pet’s reach as possible, and if you think that your dog has ingested them, get help right away. You don’t want your dog to die of an opioid poisoning, which is just as deadly as other types of poisoning for your dogs.

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