Perilla leaf (kkaennip)
CautionNo veterinary source reports a canine toxic dose for perilla leaf itself, so plain washed leaves are not a poisoning. The danger is how it is served: soy-brined and kimchi versions carry heavy salt plus minced garlic.
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
- Loose stool
- Increased thirst
- Lethargy
- Drooling
- Tremors
More about this food
Start with what is actually known. Perilla leaf, the sesame-scented Korean green sold as kkaennip, has no published canine toxic dose and does not appear as its own entry in the major pet poison lists. That is not the same as proven safe, which is why this sits at caution rather than safe. A dog that chews one or two washed leaves is not a poisoning case.
The risk lives in the preparation. Perilla almost never reaches a table plain. It arrives as kkaennip jangajji brined in soy sauce, as perilla kimchi, or as pickled leaves layered with minced garlic, scallion, chili flakes and anchovy sauce. Two separate hazards ride in on that.
The first is Allium. Merck describes how sulfur-containing oxidants in garlic and onion damage red blood cells, form Heinz bodies, and cause hemolytic anemia, and notes garlic is 3-5 times more toxic than onion by weight. The minced garlic pressed between brined perilla leaves is easy to miss and impossible to measure. The second is sodium. Merck puts clinical signs of salt toxicosis in dogs at 2-3 g/kg of sodium chloride with roughly 4 g/kg lethal, and brined leaves hold a lot of salt for their size.
Even unseasoned, leafy greens are fibrous, so a stack of leaves at once can produce vomiting or loose stool, and perilla's strong anise-mint scent means most dogs decline it anyway. Wash leaves well and chop them rather than handing over a whole bundle.
What to do depends on the form. One or two plain washed leaves: offer water and watch for a day. Several brined or kimchi leaves: leave fresh water freely available, never restrict it, and call your veterinarian now, or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Because you cannot know how much garlic came with it, treat it as an Allium exposure and ask about a CBC at 24 and 72 hours. Repeated vomiting, sudden heavy drinking, tremors or wobbliness mean go in now. Do not induce vomiting at home.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate a plain perilla leaf at a Korean barbecue. Is that a problem?
- A single washed, unseasoned leaf is generally not a concern, so offer water and watch for a day. If the leaf was dipped in ssamjang or soy sauce, it carried salt and garlic, and that is worth a call to your vet.
- He got into the soy-brined perilla leaves. What now?
- Leave water freely available and call your veterinarian or the APCC at (888) 426-4435. Brined leaves combine heavy sodium with minced garlic, and the garlic exposure is what makes a 24-hour and 72-hour CBC worth discussing.
- Can I feed perilla leaves as a regular treat?
- It is not a good default. No safe feeding amount has been established for dogs, and daily leafy greens can loosen stool through fiber alone. Carrot or cucumber are better studied choices for a vegetable treat.