There’s this much-talked-about urban legend. It says that people are getting fired from their jobs and, much worse, even getting arrested because they have tested positive on their drugs test for opioids.
But what makes this legend interesting is that these people are claiming to be drug-free. They just got unlucky from eating something that contained poppy seeds. This leads Puppy Insight to a burning question! Do poppy seeds really contain opiates?
Now, can dogs eat poppy seeds? What happens if she does?
Let’s find out below. Please keep on reading.
Can Dogs Eat Poppy Seeds?
Poppy seeds nowadays are becoming a part of different foods we tend to eat daily, either on the Indian cuisine you are currently experimenting with or just the daily goods we always consume like a particular type of muffin or bread, as well as the different kinds of sweets and desserts we always bring at home.
If you are considering serving poppy seeds to your dogs, you should stop right now. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, poppy seeds can be poisonous to your dogs.
Poppy seeds have opioid content, which can wreak havoc on the central nervous system of your dog. It is highly toxic to our fur babies that it can also lead to opioid poisoning. Opioid poisoning can lead to serious conditions, which cause your dogs to fall into a coma; it can also be deadly if it is not treated immediately.
What To Do If Your Dog Accidentally Eats Poppy Seeds?
Let’s say, for instance, you left some muffin that has poppy seeds in your kitchen, and your dog has accidentally consumed it. What should you do?
Well, eating a small amount of it will not likely cause any ill effects to your pet, but very serious problems will begin to arise when your dog manages to gobble down a large number of poppy seeds, like an entire bag of them.
If this is the case, I suggest you leave everything you are doing and closely observe your dog for any signs of opioid poisoning. This could be one or a combination of:
- Loss of coordination or walking like a drunk
- Sedation
- Pinpoint pupils and watery eyes
- Slowed heart rate and breathing
- Lack of appetite
- Trouble breathing
- A rush of energy or increased hyperactivity
If your dog is showing any symptoms, it would be best to take her to a veterinarian and seek treatment. There are serious cases in which the dog will be required with IV fluids, including medications and close monitoring to ensure proper breathing and that her heart is at a normal rate.
If it would not be possible to take her to a veterinarian, I suggest that you try to get your dog to vomit. But a little reminder before doing this, it is advised to call and ask for a consultation from your veterinarian on how to safely induce vomiting to your dog. If it has been more than an hour since she consumed the seeds, don’t try to induce vomiting yourself.
Although sometimes you will not observe any adverse effects when a dog manages to eat a few seeds. In this case, the chance will most likely be high that your pet will be safe. A dog’s body will most often manage and handle the effects of the seeds, especially when consumed in very few amounts. However, there might be some stomach issues that will occur, like diarrhea.
So make sure to create a safe environment for your smallest family member and never let her get close to anything related to poppy, like the poppy flower you are probably growing around in your garden. Make sure she will never get access to it and make sure she will never be left alone next to the plant as she might consume any part of it, and we already know that the negative effects are just really bad.
Final Thought
To sum it up, poppy seeds are not safe to be consumed by your dogs. Though poppy seeds come with varying levels of toxicity experienced according to the amount ingested, and it takes a lot of seeds to produce any effects of opioid poisoning, we can never be sure how much it takes for your dog to become ill.
It is much better to avoid poppy seeds altogether and look for different treats to give your dog. There’s a long list of nutritious dog treats good for pets anyway, so don’t take the risk.
How about you? Do you have your own experience of accidentally feeding poppy seeds to your dog? Share it with us in the comment section below, I would love to hear about it, and I’m sure your fellow readers would love to.
And oh, please don’t forget to share this article with your friends.