Suspect poisoning? US: ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · UK: 01202 509 000 · Severe symptoms → nearest emergency vet now.
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Poisoning questions, answered

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The four most-used triage calculators:

chocolate · open tool My dog ate dark chocolate — how much is dangerous? grapes & raisins · open tool My dog ate one grape. Should I panic? xylitol · open tool Dog ate sugar-free gum with xylitol — emergency? lily · open tool Cat licked a lily petal — is that fatal?
Full answer library
Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat licked banana baby food from a spoon. Are there hidden dangers in processed banana products? The banana itself is safe, but processed baby food often contains added sugars, preservatives, or even onion… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat found and ate one sugar-free hard candy from my purse. What hidden ingredient should I panic about? Panic about xylitol — it's a common sugar substitute in sugar-free candy that causes a rapid… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat licked a plate with a little cherry juice and one tiny bit of flesh (no pit) 15 minutes ago. Is she okay? She is likely fine, as the toxic cyanide compounds are in the pits, stems, and leaves, not the flesh or… Dogs · Food safety My dog ate a spoonful of shredded cheddar cheese off a baked potato with sour cream — is the melted cheese and seasoning a risk? Yes, the main risk is the high fat and dairy, not the seasoning. A spoonful of melted cheddar is likely to… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a teaspoon of dry cornbread mix while my other cat didn't — do I need to watch both, or just the one? Just watch the cat that ate it. Plain cornmeal is safe, but cornbread mix often contains sugar and sometimes… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg indoor cat ate a few bites of my granola bar that contained ground flaxseed — is that a hidden danger? The ground flaxseed itself is a mild risk, but the granola bar is the bigger concern. A few bites mean the… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog just ate a bowl of leftover chicken and rice soup with cooked white rice — what should I do in the next hour? The plain cooked rice is safe, but the soup is the issue. First, check what else was in it — onion, garlic… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg Dachshund licked some pepperoni grease off the kitchen floor — is that tiny amount something to panic about? No, a lick of grease is not an emergency. The fat and salt in pepperoni can cause mild stomach upset, but the… Dogs · Food safety My 25 kg dog was treated at the vet for eating a handful of used brewing hops — what should I watch for during recovery at home? Watch closely for any return of symptoms, especially a rising body temperature. Hops toxicity can cause… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat licked a plate with a vinaigrette salad dressing containing balsamic vinegar and olive oil — is that dangerous? A few licks of vinaigrette are unlikely to be dangerous. The vinegar is acidic and may cause mild mouth or… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a tablespoon of store-bought spinach and artichoke dip that lists cottage cheese — is the dairy and seasoning risky? The cottage cheese itself is a low-risk dairy, but the dip is the concern. A tablespoon is a significant… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Are dog treats with chocolate flavouring safe for my 5 kg Chihuahua if he ate one bite? No, any amount of real chocolate is a risk for a dog that small. The treat's label might say 'chocolate… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat knocked over the cranberry bowl at a dinner party and ate eight berries off the carpet. Is she okay? She's fine — eight fresh cranberries won't harm a 6 kg cat. The acid in the berries is mild, and cats don't… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a 2-inch piece of corn cob and vomited once — when should I expect more signs? Watch for vomiting, lethargy, and refusing food within the next 6-12 hours. The cob is not digestible and can… Dogs · Food safety How much raw bok choy can my 15 kg dog safely eat as a treat? A few small, chopped leaves once or twice a week is fine — think a quarter cup total. Bok choy is safe, but… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg kitten licked a dried, old smear of zinc oxide cream off a tube — is that toxic? Yes, it is toxic. Zinc oxide cream does not become safe when it dries or ages; the zinc can still be… Dogs · Food safety My 20 kg dog just swallowed a whole, peeled jicama the size of my fist — what do I do in the next hour? Stay calm. Peeled jicama flesh is safe, but a whole one is a choking hazard and can cause a blockage. Watch… Dogs · Food safety Only my 30 kg Labrador ate a plate of cooked venison last night — my other two dogs didn't get any. How should I handle this? Focus on the dog who ate it. Plain, cooked venison is safe, but check that it had no onions, garlic, or heavy… Dogs · Food safety Only one of my three dogs ate 5 grapes from the floor — my other two didn't touch them. What's the immediate risk for the one who ate them? The immediate risk is acute kidney failure, and there is no known safe amount. Symptoms like vomiting… Cats · Emergency guide How can I keep my curious indoor cat from digging up and chewing on daffodil bulbs I just planted? Place a physical barrier over the soil immediately — a piece of chicken wire or a flat rock works well. Cats… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat with kidney disease just licked a paracetamol powder spill. What do I do? Call the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 or your vet immediately, even for a lick. A cat's liver can't… Cats · Food safety My 8‑lb indoor cat ate two bites of a frozen pizza topping that contained broccoli within 20 minutes and now has mild vomiting—can this be dangerous? It’s not an emergency, but keep an eye on her. Frozen pizza toppings can contain small bits of broccoli, and… Cats · Emergency guide My cat ate two birth control pills and vomited once. The vet gave fluids and sent us home. What should I watch for over the next few weeks? Call your vet back to confirm they know about the two pills, as marrow suppression is a delayed risk. Watch… Cats · Food safety My 2.5 kg rescue cat keeps knocking small glasses off the side table. How do I stop her from getting into any alcohol in the house? Keep every open drink out of her reach — that means counters, side tables, and coffee tables. Even a few… Dogs · Food safety My 30 lb nursing dog just chewed up three pieces of sugar-free gum with xylitol — she's drooling and looks wobbly. Is this an emergency for her and her puppies? Yes — this is a vet emergency for your dog and her puppies. Xylitol triggers rapid hypoglycemia within 30… Dogs · Food safety Is it bad for a 5 kg dog to eat two small pieces of ripe jackfruit daily over a month? Yes, it's safe. Ripe jackfruit flesh in small pieces won't harm a 5 kg dog. Feeding it daily over a month is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 4 kg dog chewed one corner off a rodenticide bait block at breakfast — is this an emergency? Yes. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control line now (888-426-4435). Anticoagulant baits don't make… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat slipped a lick of raw scallion off the cutting board while I was prepping dinner — do I call the vet now or watch and wait? Call your vet now. Even one lick of raw scallion carries enough thiosulfate to damage a 4 kg cat's red blood… Dogs · Food safety Can my 25 kg pregnant Labrador have plain, boneless, skinless cooked chicken as a treat? Yes, that's an excellent protein source for a pregnant dog. Keep the pieces small to avoid choking and make… Dogs · Food safety My 18 kg dog ate a few bites of warm peach cobbler with sugary syrup — what's the risk? The main risk is the sugar and butter, not the peach flesh. A few bites likely means a stomach ache or loose…

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