Is Nutmeg safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Caution |
| Dogs | Caution |
Severity: Moderate
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
US holiday baking puts nutmeg into eggnog, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin spice blends every fall and winter, typically a quarter to one teaspoon spread across an entire pie or pitcher. Pet Poison Helpline's own toxicity threshold is far higher than a recipe dose: roughly more than one teaspoon of ground nutmeg, or two to three whole nutmeg seeds, eaten directly and undiluted by a pet -- not a slice of pie that happens to contain nutmeg. That means a dog stealing a slice of pumpkin pie off the counter is very unlikely to reach toxic myristicin levels, while a dog that knocks a spice jar off a shelf and eats the contents is a genuinely different, more dangerous situation, with symptoms including disorientation, elevated heart rate, and hallucination-like behavior that can last up to 48 hours. The dose is what separates 'just watch them' from 'call now.' If it is a jar or a large quantity of whole nutmeg rather than a slice of baked pie, call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.
Verdict re-verified against petpoisonhelpline.com, 2026-07-26 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-26