Can my dog eat this? A chart of common Indian foods

Most everyday Indian foods are fine for a dog in small amounts, but a few are never safe, at any amount. Chocolate, grapes and raisins, onion and garlic (even cooked into a gravy), xylitol and bones, cooked or raw, are never safe for a dog, by Merck's, PDSA's and the ASPCA's own lists ¹³⁵. If your dog eats any of these, call a vet now — don't wait to see if signs show ¹³.

Never, any amount: Chocolate, grapes & raisins, onion & garlic (even in a gravy), xylitol, cooked or raw bones¹³⁵
If he ate one of these: Call a vet now, even if he seems fine — some signs take hours to show¹³
"Small amounts only" foods: Mostly about fat or sugar, not a poison — curd, paneer, milk, mango, banana, coconut, peanuts, mithai²³
This chart is for: Dogs. Cats react differently to several of these foods¹⁵

Safe, small amounts, or never — at a glance

Food	Verdict	Why
Roti	Safe	Plain, torn into small pieces — no butter, ghee or salt. A small extra, not a meal.
Rice	Safe	Plain and cooked, no salt or seasoning, in small amounts.
Dal	Safe	Only if it's plain — cooked without onion, garlic or a heavy tadka ⁶.
Curd	Small amounts only	Plain and unsweetened. Dairy can give some dogs loose motions ³.
Paneer	Small amounts only	Plain and unsalted. It's fattier than curd, so just a little ²³.
Egg	Safe, cooked	Boiled or scrambled, plain. Never raw — raw egg can carry bacteria ³.
Chicken	Safe, cooked	Plain, boneless, no skin or spice. Raw or undercooked meat can carry bacteria ³.
Fish with bones	Never	It's the bones, not the fish: they can block or tear the gut and often need surgery to remove ³⁵. Boneless, plain cooked fish is fine as a small amount.
Mango	Small amounts only	Ripe flesh only, skin and the big stone removed. It's sugary — a few small pieces, not a bowlful.
Banana	Small amounts only	Sugary. Fine as an occasional treat, not a meal.
Apple seeds	Never	The seeds and core contain cyanide-forming compounds ⁴. The flesh itself, peeled and in small pieces, isn't on any vet poison list.
Grapes and raisins	Never	Can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs, in any amount — even hidden in kheer, cake or mithai ¹³⁵.
Onion and garlic	Never	Toxic even cooked, and still toxic in a gravy, sauce or pre-made paste ¹³⁵⁶.
Chocolate	Never	Theobromine and caffeine; the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous ¹³⁵.
Tea and coffee	Never	Caffeine affects a dog's heart and can cause seizures ³⁵.
Xylitol	Never	In sugar-free gum, mints and some "diet" sweets. Causes a dangerous crash in blood sugar and can damage the liver ¹³⁵.
Mithai	Small amounts only	High in sugar and ghee. Check first that it has no raisins, chocolate or xylitol in it.
Spicy and fried food	Small amounts only	Fatty, fried food and heavy spice are linked to pancreatitis; keep table scraps rare ².
Milk	Small amounts only	Many dogs are lactose intolerant as adults; a little can cause loose motions ³.
Coconut	Small amounts only	Not on the lists below, but it's high in fat, so just a little, and plain.
Peanuts	Small amounts only	Plain and unsalted, a few at a time; too many can upset the stomach or cause pancreatitis ³. Peanut butter must never contain xylitol ¹³⁵.
Cooked bones	Never	Cooked or raw, bones splinter or get stuck and often need surgery to remove ³⁵.

If your dog ate something toxic

Checked against vet sources. Not yet reviewed by a vet.

Call a vet now, even if your dog seems completely fine. Some signs only show up hours later ¹³.
Take the packet, wrapper or a photo of what he ate, and say how much and roughly when.
Don't try a home remedy, and don't make him vomit unless a vet tells you to ⁷.
For the full list of emergency signs, see when to go to a vet now. Around Diwali, chocolate and raisin sweets are a common risk — see the Diwali calm kit for pets.

This chart is for dogs

Cats react differently to several of these foods. This chart is for dogs, so ask your vet for a cat-specific list ¹⁵. Ask your vet for a cat-specific list.

Get the printable chart (PDF)

One A4 page for the fridge: safe, small amounts, or never, for 20+ everyday foods, plus what to do if your dog eats something toxic. Leave your Play Store Gmail and mobile number below and the download starts right away.

Not fully clear yet

Official sources disagree or leave gaps on these. Confirm before you rely on them.

Mango, banana and coconut aren't on Merck's, PDSA's or the ASPCA's poison lists, so this page lists them as "small amounts only" for their sugar or fat content, not a specific toxin.
PDSA says some dogs are more sensitive to onion and garlic poisoning than others, but doesn't give an exact amount that's dangerous ⁶. This page treats any amount as unsafe.

Last checked 5 Oct 2026. Facts checked against the official and veterinary sources below by Thapki. Not yet reviewed by a vet. Written with AI help from the sources below and checked against them line by line; the Thapki team reads and approves each page before it goes live.

Spot something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.

Sources

Food hazards (pet owner version) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026
Pancreatitis and Other Disorders of the Pancreas in Dogs (dog owner version) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026
People foods to avoid feeding your pets · ASPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Apple · ASPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Poisons and Hazards for your pets · PDSA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Onion and garlic poisoning in dogs · PDSA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Is it ever safe to induce vomiting? (19 Nov 2019) · ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center · seen 5 Oct 2026