| Verdict for dogs | Toxic |
| Severity | 4 / 5 — Serious — call your vet or poison control today. |
| Safe amount | None |
| Category | Vegetable |
| Source | ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database · reviewed 2026-08-07 · confidence: high |
The ASPCA lists rhubarb as toxic to dogs. The leaves are the dangerous part — they are loaded with soluble calcium oxalates, which can cause drooling, tremors and kidney failure. The cooked stalk is far less concentrated but rhubarb desserts also carry sugar and sometimes raisins.
Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 straight away. Tell them what your dog ate, roughly how much, and when, and take the packaging with you. Don't wait for symptoms — with several poisons the harm is done before a pet looks ill.
Never induce vomiting and never give any medicine unless a vet tells you to. With some substances it causes more damage than the poison. This page tells you when to get help — it never tells you how to treat at home.
Can cats eat rhubarb? — Toxic for cats.
No — rhubarb is toxic to dogs. Call your vet or poison control today, even if your dog seems fine. The ASPCA lists rhubarb as toxic to dogs. The leaves are the dangerous part — they are loaded with soluble calcium oxalates, which can cause drooling, tremors and kidney failure. The cooked stalk is far less concentrated but rhubarb desserts also carry sugar and sometimes raisins.
Watch for: Drooling and vomiting; Loss of appetite and lethargy; Tremors; Drinking and urinating more, or straining with little urine. Signs can take hours or, for some poisons, a day or more to appear, so call your vet rather than waiting to see.
More than a taste can cause real illness, and the risk rises with the amount and with a smaller pet. The safe amount is none — if your dog has had more, call your vet.