The health and safety of your furry companions are of utmost importance. As pet owners, you need to be aware that some herbs and spices can wreak havoc on your pet’s health. Here, you will find spices and herbs toxic to pets that you want to keep in out-of-reach places.

1. Garlic
Garlic is one of the toxic foods for dogs and cats and can cause a lot of damage when consumed in large amounts or concentrated forms such as garlic powder. Contact your vet if your pet experience any of the symptoms of ingestion, such as reduced appetite, pale gums, lethargy, vomiting, and reddish urine.

2. Onion
Consuming onion or onion powder can cause intense damage to pets’ red blood cells and lead to anemia. They are poisonous foods for dogs and cats that should not be given. Signs of onion ingestion include diarrhea, vomiting, and an upset stomach. Excessive salt can also result in sodium ion poisoning in pets.

3. Chives
Chives, along with garlic and onions, also belong to the Allium family, and they are harmful to your pets’ health if ingested. High doses of chives may cause abdominal pain, increased heart rate, lethargy, drooling, vomiting, and weakness.

4. Chamomile
Certain strains of chamomile can be hazardous for cats and dogs and should be kept away from them. When ingested, English, Garden, Roman, and True chamomile can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and allergic reactions in pets.

5. Nutmeg
Nutmeg contains myristicin and is one of the toxic foods for dogs and cats. If ingested, recovery can take approximately 48 hours. When ingested in large amounts, this spice can cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and drowsiness. After consuming, pets may become overly excited and then get exhausted.

6. Mace
Similar to nutmeg, mace also is a herb that is not safe for your pet to consume. Ingestion of mace by pets can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, and drowsiness.

7. Salt
Salt adds taste to human food, but for pets, it’s harmful and can lead to adverse effects. When consumed in large amounts, salt or salty foods can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, and even death in pets.

8. Black Pepper
Black pepper, when ingested in large amounts, can create gastrointestinal issues in pets. It can also cause skin and eye irritations in pets. Avoid keeping black pepper within reach of your pet to prevent your pet from consuming the spice.

9. Paprika
Avoid giving paprika to your pet as it contains capsaicin which can lead to many gastrointestinal problems. Contact your vet if your pet ingests paprika in large doses. Some of the symptoms of ingestion include upset stomach, diarrhea, skin and eye irritation, and nasal irritation,

Keep your pet away from the above harmful herbs and spices to prevent your pet from ill-health. Before giving any herbs and spices to your pet, be sure to consult your pet’s veterinarian.