My Dog Ate a Wild Berry Will He Get Sick?

Do you enjoy hiking with your dog out in the fields and woods? It’s a fun activity, but there are a lot of tempting things to eat including wild berries. Dogs are curious, and they happen to love berries, so your fur baby may be tempted to eat any wild berries he may find while you’re out on a hike.

Wild Berries Safe for Dogs

Many berries are completely safe for dogs. The only problem might be if your dog happened to eat too many berries at one time. This could cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Not pleasant at all, but he would be OK.

Berries safe for your dog to eat include:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Cranberries
• Blackberries

Wild Berries Toxic to Dogs

On the other hand, there are wild berries that are toxic to dogs, which include:

• Holly berries
• Juniper berries
• Baneberries
• Poke berries
• Mistletoe berries
• Dogwood berries
• Jerusalem cherries
• Ivy berries
• Wintergreen berries
• Manzanita berries
• Partridge berries

These types of berries can grow wild in the woods, but they can also grow near your home or even in the yard. These are all toxic to dogs.

If your fur baby has eaten one or more berries and you’re not what they were, then grab up as many of the berries as you can and then call the vet. Let them know your fur baby has eaten some wild berries, and you’re not sure what they were. The vet will then advise you on what to do next.

Signs of Poisoning in Dogs

It may happen that you don’t even see your dog eat the wild berry or berries. But after the walk, you may notice some of these symptoms if he’s eaten something poisonous:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures
• Bloody stool

This is not an exhaustive list of the symptoms that may indicate your dog has eaten something toxic. So, if you notice any symptoms that are out of the ordinary, then it’s a good idea to call the vet as soon as possible. They will give you advice on next steps.

When you’re out in nature with your dog, the best thing to do is to make sure he doesn’t eat anything. If he does happen to eat a couple of strawberries or other berries you know are safe, that’s OK. But it’s best to keep him from eating anything while you’re out, unless you pack a snack for you both!