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Which common human foods like pizza or salads might have olives that could make my 10 kg dog sick from the salt?

Dogs · Food safety

Last reviewed: 2026-09-05 · Reference ranges: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline & Merck Veterinary Manual

Short answer

Olives are often hidden in many savory dishes that are too salty for dogs. Watch out for pizza toppings, Greek salads, antipasto platters, certain sandwich spreads, and martini garnishes left within reach. These olives are typically brine-cured, packing a high sodium punch that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive thirst in a small dog. Always check party plates and counter scraps before your dog does. If your dog eats a salty olive, offer fresh water and monitor for gastrointestinal upset, contacting your vet if vomiting persists.

Olives — Food safety facts

Feed with care · Dogs · full breakdown on the linked food page

Pitted, plain olives occasionally. Brine-cured olives are very salty — rinse first.

Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Feed with care), so the notes below hold for either pet.

Olives is not poisonous to dogs, but it is easy to over-feed. Rich fat, salt or seasoning can bring on vomiting or diarrhoea within a day, and repeated large portions are a recognised trigger for pancreatitis.

If it ate some before you noticed, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness or a painful, swollen abdomen over the next 24 hours. A one-off small amount in a healthy adult usually passes with water and rest; repeated exposure, a puppy or kitten, a senior, or a pet with an ongoing illness is a reason to call your vet the same day.

Why these cautions matter

A heavy salt load drives up thirst and urination, and in the worst cases leads to sodium ion poisoning, which is a genuine emergency.

Stone-fruit pits and some seeds release cyanide when crushed, and quite apart from that they are a choking and blockage hazard.

Olives can turn up now and then, but not as a daily habit: keep the rest of the day's food unchanged and watch the next walk and the stool that comes with it.

The full verdict, portion guidance and serving notes are collected on the Olives food facts page.

Open the full food page: Olives food facts →