Sundae (Korean blood sausage)
CautionKorean blood sausage is not dog food. The filling is bound with onion and Chinese chives, it is dipped in salt, and it is served alongside liver and lung. Note the amount and time and call your veterinarian.
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
- Lethargy
- Pale gums or mucous membranes
- Jaundice
- Haemoglobin in urine
- Weakness
- Rapid breathing
- Intestinal blockage
More about this food
Sundae is pig intestine stuffed with sweet potato noodles, pig's blood and aromatics, steamed and sliced — a close cousin of blood pudding, boudin noir and morcilla, and easy to find at Korean markets and H Mart. The blood is not what endangers a dog. The aromatics are. Nearly every recipe includes onion, scallion and Chinese chives, in amounts that vary by shop and appear on no label.
Per the Merck Veterinary Manual, sulfur-containing oxidants in Allium species cause hemolysis in dogs through Heinz body formation, with clinical signs reported after ingestion of 15-30 g/kg of raw onion. The timing is what catches owners out: methemoglobinemia begins within 24 hours and peaks at roughly 72, hemolysis typically follows 3-5 days after exposure, and signs generally are not visible until substantial hemolysis has already occurred. Watch for lethargy, appetite loss, rapid breathing, pale or yellow gums, red-brown urine, and collapse.
Salt is the second layer. Sundae is eaten dipped in salt or salted pepper. Merck places clinical signs of sodium chloride toxicosis in dogs at 2-3 g/kg, which a small dog can approach after stealing several heavily dipped pieces.
Two more things ride along. The noodle filling forms a dense mass that a gulping dog can swallow whole, and the liver and lung served on the same plate are organ meats — Merck notes that feeding liver alone can induce vitamin A toxicity in both dogs and cats. Sundae-guk, the soup version, adds broth sodium and a minced-garlic seasoning paste on top of all of it.
Write down how many pieces, when, and whether they were dipped, then call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. Do not induce vomiting at home. For the next five days, check the gums and the urine color daily, and go in immediately if your dog becomes weak or starts breathing hard.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog stole one piece of sundae. Is that an emergency?
- One piece rarely causes a crisis, but nobody can tell you how much onion and chive went into the filling. Call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435 with your dog's weight and the time, then watch the gums and urine for five days.
- He seems totally fine the next morning. Can I stop worrying?
- No. Allium-induced hemolysis usually appears 3-5 days after exposure, and signs show only after substantial red cell destruction. Pale gums, yellow gums or red-brown urine mean go in right away.
- What about the liver and lung served on the side?
- Those are organ meats. Merck notes that feeding liver alone can cause vitamin A toxicity in dogs and cats, and restaurant portions are also salted. Keep organ meat as a small part of a balanced diet, not a plate of leftovers.