Raw kidney bean
ToxicRaw kidney beans carry phytohaemagglutinin, a lectin. FDA reports that as few as four or five raw beans can make a person violently sick within 1-3 hours, and a dog weighs a fraction of that. Call your vet now.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Vomiting
- Repeated vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Dehydration
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Intestinal blockage
More about this food
Uncooked kidney beans are the most clearly toxic bean in the pantry. The agent is phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a lectin. The FDA's Bad Bug Book records raw kidney beans at 20,000 to 70,000 hemagglutinating units (hau) against 200 to 400 hau in fully cooked beans - a hundredfold difference. Red kidney beans hold the highest concentration; white kidney beans carry about a third as much, and broad beans 5 to 10%.
The threshold is what matters. FDA states that as few as four or five raw beans can trigger symptoms in an adult human. Onset is extreme nausea and vomiting within 1 to 3 hours, with diarrhea developing in the same window and abdominal pain reported. People usually recover 3 to 4 hours after onset, but a dog weighs a fraction of an adult, so the same handful of beans is a far larger dose per kilogram. And in a dog the real danger is the fluid loss: repeated vomiting and diarrhea in a small, old, or cardiac-compromised dog is an emergency on its own. FDA also notes that oral ingestion of lectins reduces intestinal absorption and causes diarrhea and weight loss in several animal species.
There is a second, mechanical hazard. Dry beans absorb water in the stomach and intestine and swell, so a handful eaten off the floor raises a real obstruction question.
The trap with this toxin is that undercooked beans can be worse than raw ones. FDA documents repeated outbreaks from slow cookers and casseroles that reached internal temperatures of only 75 degrees C or less - not hot enough to destroy the lectin. Safe preparation is soaking for at least 5 hours, discarding the water, and boiling in fresh water for at least 30 minutes; 10 minutes at a hard boil destroys the toxin, but 30 gives you margin. Never cook dried kidney beans in a slow cooker.
Note how many beans, whether they were dry or soaked, and the time, then call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Do not induce vomiting at home.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate a few raw kidney beans. Do I wait?
- No. Four or five raw beans is enough to sicken an adult human, and your dog is much smaller. Severe vomiting can start within 1 to 3 hours. Note the count and the time and call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435 now.
- Are canned kidney beans safe?
- Canned beans are pre-cooked, so the lectin is destroyed, but they are packed in salt and chili beans are seasoned with onion and garlic, which are toxic. Rinse plain canned beans well if you use them, and keep the portion small.
- I made chili in a slow cooker. Is that a problem?
- If you started from dried kidney beans, yes. FDA has documented outbreaks from slow cookers that never got hot enough to destroy the lectin. Beans from a can are already cooked and fine on that count. Never slow-cook dried kidney beans.