Can Dogs Eat Nutmeg?
Short answer
No, nutmeg is toxic to dogs.
According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, which names this food among those dangerous to pets, our dog rating is toxic. Portion guidance: None. Watch for: Disorientation, seizures, elevated heart rate, abdominal pain. The same food is rated toxic for cats, so multi-pet households should not assume the dog rating transfers. Ask your veterinarian about your own animal.
No. Nutmeg is toxic to dogs.
Found in many baked goods; check ingredient lists; hallucinations reported
Food-safety rating slip
Dogs can-eat rating TOXIC Nutmeg
TOXIC · #11/160 hazard · Herbs & Spices
- LEVEL toxic
- RANK #11/160
- DOC #34/160
- CAT toxic
- SHARE 23.1% haz
- RISK 2 risks
- SYMP listed
- PHOTO Basil
Category photo peer: Basil (safe)
Nutmeg ranks #11 of 160 foods by dog hazard band (toxic) and #34 of 160 by documentation depth in PlainPetFood's archive. Cats: toxic. Band scores in the chart are ordinal (toxic=4 → safe=1), not clinical doses. Read with this food →
Category standing
Toxic on both the dog and cat charts
Dogs and cats share a toxic rating for Nutmeg. Inside herbs & spices, 1 of 13 dog ratings are toxic. This is a household-wide keep-away, not a species-specific quirk.
Source for this food: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, which names it among the foods dangerous to pets. Portion, preparation and symptom detail on this page is our own editorial guidance.
Portion & Preparation
- Recommended Portion
- None
Risks & Warnings
- ⚠ Myristicin causes central nervous system effects
- ⚠ Even small amounts toxic
Warning Signs
Disorientation, seizures, elevated heart rate, abdominal pain
If your dog shows these symptoms, contact your vet or call ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
🚨 Pet Poison Emergency
ASPCA Animal Poison Control
888-426-4435
24/7, consultation fee may apply
Other Herbs & Spices for Dogs
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
PlainPetFood publishes an editorial food-safety compilation. When the FDA or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center names a food as dangerous, that food's page links the source; other ratings are identified as editorial guidance. Its dog rating, portion, preparation notes and warning signs are rendered from the food-safety archive; a named FDA or ASPCA source is linked above when that authority names this food. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, report a correction, the methodology behind these numbers, or contact the editorial team. Data current as of August 29, 2026.