Can Dogs Eat Poppy Seeds?

Can Dogs Eat Poppy Seeds

If you’re making homemade Poppy Seed crackers, it can be very easy to drop a few Poppy Seeds onto the kitchen floor. If you’re not aware, your dog may swoop by and lick them up. But should you keep your dogs out of the kitchen when you’re making Poppy Seed crackers? Are Poppy Seeds safe for doggy consumption? Here’s the short answer first. 

Can dogs eat Poppy Seeds? No, dogs should not eat Poppy Seeds. Poppy Seeds are toxic to dogs and can cause poppy poisoning. There are many different Poppy plants and they all have various opiates levels that are dangerous to dogs. For this reason, it’s best to keep Poppy Seeds away from your dogs.

Can dogs have Poppy Seeds?

are poppies poisonous to dogs
Poppy Seeds from the red hue flowers opium poppy plants.

No, dogs should not have Poppy Seeds since they can cause poppy poisoning in dogs. To fully understand why dogs should not have Poppy Seeds, let’s take a look at where Poppy Seeds come from.

Where do Poppy Seeds come from?

my dog ate a poppy flower
Are red poppies poisonous to dogs?

Poppy Seeds come from the Papaver somniferum plant, which is most commonly known as bread seed poppy or opium poppy. If you’ve never seen the opium poppy plants before, they are bright reddish-pink flowers that can be grown in gardens as ornamental plants. 

This plant contains both Poppy Seeds and opium. You’ll find the Poppy Seeds sitting inside the seedpod. 

When the Poppy Seeds are harvested, they can be coated with the harmful opium extract. Sometimes the Poppy Seeds will also absorb the opium extract. 

Before the Poppy Seeds reach the consumer for baking and cooking purposes, they are thoroughly cleaned. However, there’s no guarantee that the opium extract is completely rinsed off so there may still be traces of opiate residue on the Poppy Seeds.

Are Poppy Seeds poisonous to dogs?

poppy seeds dogs
My dog ate Poppy Seeds! Will he be alright?

If you’re wondering, “Are Poppies poisonous to dogs?” the short answer is yes. In the Wizard of Oz movie, this Papaver somniferum or opium poppy plant made its appearance. 

First, we see the green Witch casting a spell over a green ball as she repeats “Poppies” three times. 

Next, we see a sea of red Poppy flower plants. Dorothy and her friends found the green Emerald City and needed to cross the field of red Poppies to get there. After a minute of running, Dorothy informed her friends that she can’t run anymore and felt very sleepy. She ended up falling asleep in the red Poppies field.  

This innocent movie gives us some insight as to what poppy toxicity feels and looks like. 

Poppy Seeds are poisonous to dogs because when your canine friends consume Poppy Seeds, they can have the following signs and symptoms: 

  • Sedation.
  • Depression.
  • Coma (in severe cases).

Therefore, if you suspect your pooch has consumed any part of the red flowering opium poppy plant, we recommend that you contact your vet and bring your pup to the clinic right away. Chewing or ingesting any part of this plant can cause Poppy poisoning and requires immediate medical attention. 

Signs and symptoms of Poppy poisoning in dogs include:

  • Sedation. 
  • Small, constricted, or pinpoint pupils.
  • Loss of appetite. 
  • Ataxia or becoming uncoordinated in speech and balance. 
  • Trembling. 
  • Depression. 
  • Muscle weakness. 
  • Difficulty breathing or respiratory depression. 
  • Slow heart rate. 
  • Coma (in severe cases).

If your pooch is experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms, consult your vet and head to the nearest veterinary hospital as soon as you can.

Question of the day: Are Papaya seeds toxic to dogs? Check out Can Dogs Eat Papaya? to find out!

Are Poppies toxic to dogs?

It’s best to avoid poppy plants if you’re walking your dogs. Poppy plants have this distinct red hue flower color and they are shaped like a bowl. This plant can be aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. However, they are extremely toxic to dogs if consumed. 

There are many species of Poppy and it’s best to keep your dogs away from all of them because all of them are toxic to dogs if ingested.

That’s because the Poppy Seeds are exposed to the opium extract found in the poppy plant and the poppy plant contains substances such as codeine, morphine, alkaloids, and heroin. When dogs consume Poppy Seeds that are exposed to or coated with opium extract, they can affect the dogs’ central nervous system. 

Because the Poppy Seeds are directly exposed to the substance in the poppy plant, it’s a wise idea to avoid feeding your pooch Poppy Seeds.

What should I do if my dog eats Poppy Seeds?

If your dog ate some Poppy Seeds, you’ll want to call your vet immediately and bring your dog to the veterinary hospital or clinic as he or she may have Poppy poisoning. By calling your vet as you bring your pooch to the hospital, the vet can start preparing the necessary equipment to diagnose and treat your canine friend.   

When you arrive, your vet will conduct a full-body exam or physical checkup on your four-legged friend so they can find out your dog’s vital signs and symptoms. 

Your vet may also conduct laboratory work to assess how your dog’s body is absorbing and metabolizing the Poppy toxin. Some laboratory work includes a chemistry panel and a complete blood count (CBC). Both of these methods help the vet figure out the baseline of how your canine friend’s internal organs are functioning. 

To figure out if your dog is dehydrated from the poisoning, your vet will perform a PCV (packed cell volume). Additionally, the vet will need to see how your dog’s kidney functions are doing by conducting a urinalysis. 

If your vet suspects that your K9 pal has heart abnormalities, he or she may perform an ultrasound or an ECG (Electrocardiography) on your pooch.

Can dogs eat Poppy Seed bread?

No, dogs should not eat Poppy Seed bread. There are several reasons why your dogs should not eat Poppy Seed bread. 

First, there is bread out there that is covered in a lot of Poppy Seeds and this is extremely toxic to dogs. Even if one slice of bread has very few Poppy Seeds on them, it could still be enough to give your canine friends an upset stomach. 

Second, store brought Poppy Seed bread is usually sweet and contains high sugar content. The high sugar content in Poppy Seed bread is harmful to dogs as it can cause a sudden spike in their blood sugar level. 

Additionally, consuming too much sugar can cause a whole host of health issues in dogs, including diabetes, dental issues, metabolic changes, obesity, upset stomach, and even pancreatitis. 

Bread, whether it is Poppy Seed bread or not, is harmful to dogs as well since it is high in simple carbohydrates. When dogs consume too many carbs, they are at risk of obesity and heart disease.

Poppy Seed bread also provides dogs with empty calories. This means eating the Poppy Seed Bread doesn’t provide your pooch with much nutritional value while increasing their daily calorie.

You might also like: Can Dogs Eat Cheesecake?

Can dogs eat Poppy Seed muffins?

No, dogs should not eat Poppy Seed muffins. Muffins filled with Poppy Seeds can cause poppy poisoning in dogs. As you may be aware, Poppy Seed muffins are filled with Poppy Seeds! 

If your four-legged friends eat just one Poppy Seed muffin, they will get an upset stomach. Imagine the toxic reaction your dogs may experience from accidentally eating too many Poppy Seed muffins. 

Some dogs may not react to the Poppy Seed muffins right after eating them. It may take several hours for the symptoms to occur. If you know your pooch accidentally ate Poppy Seed muffins, contact your vet right away and ask what you can do to help your dog.

Also, muffins, whether they’re Poppy Seed muffins or not, are not healthy for dogs due to their high carb and sugar content, which can cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in dogs.  

In general, it’s best to keep sugary baked goods like muffins, bread, bagels, cookies, and candies away from your pooch.

Can dogs have Poppy Seed dressing?

No, dogs should not have Poppy Seed dressing. While there aren’t enough Poppy Seeds in the dressing to cause toxicity in your pooch, the dressing itself may be harmful to dogs. 

That’s because Poppy Seed dressing contains a list of ingredients that are dangerous for doggy consumption such as:

  • Ground mustard.
  • Sugar.
  • White wine vinegar.
  • Onion salt. 

All of these ingredients can give your dog an upset stomach. Keep in mind that ground mustard may contain mustard seeds which are harmful to dogs and onion salt is extremely toxic to dogs and can cause onion poisoning in dogs. 

In general, it’s best to keep your furry family members away from salad dressing of any kind. Poppy Seed dressing, like other salad dressings, is full of carbs and sugar, and this combination is harmful to your dog’s health.

Can dogs eat lemon Poppy Seed muffins?

No, dogs should not eat lemon Poppy Seed muffins. While lemons are safe for doggy consumption, lemon Poppy Seed muffins are not so you can expect your dog to have an upset stomach after consuming this muffin.

Can dogs eat everything bagels?

No, dogs should not eat everything bagels. Everything bagels have the following standard toppings:

  • Poppy seeds.
  • Sesame seeds.
  • Dried garlic.
  • Dried onion. 
  • Salt. 
  • Cracked pepper. 

Several of these toppings are harmful and toxic to dogs such as Poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic, cracked pepper, and salt. Additionally, bagels aren’t healthy for doggy consumption as they are high in carbs. Due to these reasons, it’s best to avoid feeding your pooch everything bagels.

Can dogs have everything bagels?

No, dogs should not have everything bagels. Due to the toppings listed above, the everything bagel is not safe for dogs to eat. If your dog ate Poppy Seed bagel or everything bagels, they are at risk of getting an upset stomach or gastrointestinal upset. 

Additionally, the bagel itself is high in carbs and our furry friends do not need many carbs in their diet.

So, can dogs eat Poppy Seeds?

If you’re having everything bagels, Poppy Seed bread, or Poppy Seed muffins, do not share them with your furry family members. The Poppy Seeds can harm your dog’s health and can cause poppy poisoning in dogs. 

It’s always best to err on the side of safety and avoid letting your dog near any food that contains Poppy Seeds or Poppy Seeds themselves if you’re baking or cooking with them.

Related Questions

Are California poppies poisonous to dogs?

Yes, California poppies are poisonous to dogs. California poppies grow mostly in the western US and they can be harmful to dogs. Are California poppies toxic to dogs? Yes, according to the Plants for a Future website, the California poppies plant is related to the opium poppy plant. Due to this, it’s best to keep your canine friends away from the California poppies.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding dietary needs.

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_seed

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88177941

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