Kimbap (Korean seaweed rice roll)
CautionKimbap is a bundle of different risks, not one food. Seasoned spinach and bulgogi fillings carry garlic, the seaweed and ham and pickled radish carry sodium, and a small dog that swallows a whole roll adds an obstruction risk.
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
Check the precautions before sharing
Risk depends on preparation, ingredients or amount. Read the precautions below; body weight alone cannot establish a safe portion.
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
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Increased thirst
- Increased urine volume
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Pale gums or mucous membranes
- Jaundice
- Haemoglobin in urine
- Choking
- Blocked oesophagus
- Intestinal blockage
- Gastrointestinal perforation
- Pancreatitis
More about this food
Kimbap is less a single dish than several ingredients rolled together, so "is kimbap safe for dogs" only becomes answerable as "which kimbap, and which part of it."
Garlic is the first concern. The seasoned spinach filling is dressed with minced garlic and salt, and bulgogi kimbap and kimchi kimbap bring garlic and onion outright. Merck describes sulfur-containing oxidants in Allium species damaging red blood cells and causing Heinz body anemia, reports clinical signs in dogs from 15-30 g/kg of raw onion, and states that raw, cooked, dehydrated and granulated forms are all toxic. Hemolysis "typically occurs 3-5 days after exposure," so an uneventful evening does not settle it.
Sodium is next. The rice is mixed with salt and sesame oil, the gim itself is salty, and ham, imitation crab, danmuji pickled radish and fish cake are all high-sodium processed foods. Merck puts clinical signs at 2-3 g/kg of sodium chloride and a lethal dose near 4 g/kg, which for a 10 lb dog is a much smaller absolute amount than owners expect. Early sodium signs are heavy drinking, frequent urination and vomiting; Pet Poison Helpline lists the progression as GI distress followed by stumbling, disorientation, tremors, seizures and collapse.
Fat and physical form matter too. Sesame oil, the mayonnaise in tuna kimbap and the cutlet in donkatsu kimbap push fat up, and Merck lists dietary indiscretion as a common canine pancreatitis risk factor. Because dogs crunch two or three times and swallow, a small dog that takes a whole roll or a large chunk can obstruct; Merck's rule is that a foreign body failing to pass within 36-48 hours warrants surgery. Count the toothpicks or skewers -- a swallowed toothpick is a perforation risk in its own right. And kimbap left out at room temperature is a well-known food-poisoning vehicle for people, so leftovers are a poor thing to hand a dog.
Call your veterinarian with the type of kimbap, how many pieces, the time and your dog's weight; the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is at (888) 426-4435. A missing toothpick makes it an emergency. Do not induce vomiting and do not remove the water bowl. If you want to share, plain cooked rice with nothing on it is the safe version -- AKC's guidance on rice for dogs is to boil it with no seasonings or spices.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate one piece of kimbap. Is that a problem?
- It depends on the filling. If it contained garlicky seasoned spinach, bulgogi or kimchi, note the amount and call your vet. Even one piece is a meaningful load of sodium and fat for a small dog, so leave water available and watch closely.
- Which filling is the most dangerous one?
- The garlic-containing ones -- seasoned spinach, bulgogi and kimchi -- come first, then the sodium in ham, imitation crab and pickled radish, then the fat in sesame oil and mayonnaise. Carrot, cucumber and plain egg are the least concerning.
- A toothpick from the kimbap tray is missing.
- Treat that as an emergency. Toothpicks are sharp enough to perforate the esophagus or intestine. Do not induce vomiting; note how many are missing and the time, and call your vet now so it can be located on radiographs.