Lemon

Lemons offer a dog nothing worth the risk. Most dogs want no part of the smell or the sourness, so the exposures that actually happen are accidental: a rind that hits the kitchen floor, a wedge fished out of a glass, a dog licking spilled lemonade. The ASPCA lists lemon (Citrus limonia, family Rutaceae) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with essential oils and psoralens as the toxic principles and vomiting, diarrhea, depression and potential dermatitis as clinical signs — and the note that the fruit is edible while the skins and plant material cause problems. The AKC goes further and simply says no: lemon juice carries a concentrated dose of citric acid, the rinds contain psoralen, and a swallowed rind can cause gastric obstruction, so call your veterinarian right away if your dog eats a whole lemon or a rind. What actually happens depends on the part and the amount. A lick of juice usually produces drooling, lip-smacking, and maybe a round of vomiting or soft stool. Swallowing rind is the scenario that lands dogs in the clinic — the peel is tough and does not break down, so it can lodge in the stomach or intestine, and the oils irritate the gut on the way through. If your dog swallowed rind or a whole lemon, note the amount and the time and call your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Repeated vomiting, a guarded belly, or no stool passing suggests obstruction. Do not induce vomiting at home; bringing a hard, irregular object back up the esophagus can do more damage than leaving it, and that call belongs to a veterinarian. Lemon essential oil, lemon-scented cleaners and diffuser refills are a bigger problem than the fruit. VCA lists citrus oil among the oils poisonous to dogs, with difficulty breathing, an uncoordinated gait, muscle tremors, redness or burns on the lips, gums, tongue or skin, and vomiting — and specifically warns not to induce vomiting or give activated charcoal, because it can worsen the situation.