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
Dogs · Food safety My 11-year-old 9 kg dog with chronic kidney disease just knocked over and drank half a can of energy drink — is this an emergency? Yes — for a dog with kidney disease, half a can of energy drink is a cardiac emergency, not a mild upset. The… Dogs · Food safety My 9 kg diabetic dog on insulin ate a teaspoon of turmeric powder off the kitchen counter — is that safe with her condition? A teaspoon of turmeric powder is within the range some joint supplements use, but your dog's diabetes changes… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 7 kg dog swallowed a penny versus a crushed zinc supplement lozenge — which is more dangerous and why? The crushed zinc lozenge is the more dangerous of the two for a 7 kg dog. A penny releases zinc slowly as it… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog licked the bottom of a bowl where I had mixed blood meal fertilizer into a stew — should I worry? Blood meal fertilizer smells exactly like food, and your dog already proved that by licking the bowl clean. A… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog slipped under the table and ate cashews from my chicken stir-fry — the nuts were salted and oily — is that a problem? The salt and oil are the real issues here, not the cashews themselves. Two or three salted cashews from a… Cats · Food safety My 4.5 kg cat knocked over a serving dish of plain roasted butternut squash at Thanksgiving dinner — she ate about two tablespoons. Is that safe? Two tablespoons of plain roasted butternut squash is completely safe for a 4.5 kg cat. Cooked squash with no… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 8 kg terrier ate a whole bag of sugar-free liver treats that list xylitol—should I rush to the vet? Yes, go to the vet now. A whole bag of treats likely contains a toxic dose for a small dog, and hypoglycaemia… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat found a piece of grapefruit left out on the counter overnight — is it safe to let her keep eating it? No, don't let her keep eating it. Grapefruit flesh itself isn't toxic, but a piece that's been sitting out… Dogs · Food safety My 6 kg terrier ate a few bites of my nutmeg-spiked risotto — should I be worried about his trembling? Yes, worry about it. Nutmeg is toxic to dogs in moderate amounts — it can trigger tremors, seizures and… Dogs · Food safety How long after my 15 kg beagle eats cooked yam would I see any symptoms, and what would they look like? You wouldn't see poisoning symptoms because cooked plain yam is safe — there's no toxin involved. The only… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg tabby cat just licked hand sanitiser gel off the kitchen counter — what do I do first? This is an emergency. Most hand sanitisers contain 60–70% alcohol, which gets absorbed fast and can cause… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog just finished a plain cooked lobster tail — what signs should I watch for and when? There are no poisoning signs to worry about — plain cooked lobster meat is safe for dogs. The real risks are… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat stole a bite of fried catfish with cornmeal batter — how long until I see symptoms? Fried catfish with batter isn't toxic, but it's not a good meal for a cat either — the deep-fried oil and… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat with chronic kidney disease licked zinc oxide cream off the bathroom counter — what signs should I watch for? This needs urgent attention. Zinc oxide cream is toxic when swallowed and causes red blood cell destruction… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg Shiba Inu grabbed a sheet of seasoned nori seaweed at a party — how long until I see problems? Seaweed isn't toxic, but seasoned nori sheets are very high in salt and iodine, both of which can upset your… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat knocked over and drank from a bowl of plain cooked barley soup — is this a problem? No, this isn't a problem — plain cooked barley is safe for cats and actually provides a decent source of… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog gets a small handful of plain boiled noodles with his kibble every evening. Is this a healthy habit? Plain noodles are safe, but feeding them daily is not healthy. They are mostly empty carbohydrates that can… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog just ate a leftover salmon sushi roll from a takeaway box that had wasabi and ginger on it — is that dangerous? It's a mild risk, so watch him closely. The rice is fine, but the wasabi and raw fish are the problem. Wasabi… Cats · Food safety Is plain cornmeal safer for my 4 kg cat than cornbread mix that might have fallen on the floor? Yes, plain cornmeal is the safe choice. Cornbread mix is the real concern because it often contains sugar and… Cats · Food safety Only one of my two cats ate a slice of star fruit 30 minutes ago — how do I handle the other cat and the house? Get the cat that ate it to a vet or call the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 right away — star fruit is… Cats · Emergency guide My 12-week-old, 1.5 kg kitten licked a metformin pill I dropped — is her small size a bigger concern? Yes, her tiny size makes even a lick a serious concern. Diabetes medicines like metformin lower blood sugar… Cats · Toxicity calculator Could my 5 kg cat with arthritis be getting aspirin secretly from a human joint health supplement I take? It's possible, and that's very dangerous. Some supplements, especially those labeled for joint or pain… Dogs · Emergency guide My pregnant 10 kg dog ate one oleander leaf from a garden clipping — is this riskier for her and the puppies? Yes, this is an immediate emergency for her and the unborn puppies. Oleander contains cardiac glycosides that… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat with a known heart murmur licked a few mustard seeds off a sandwich — is her condition a bigger worry? Yes, her heart condition makes this more serious. Mustard seeds are toxic and can cause gastroenteritis; in… Dogs · Food safety Is a handful of fresh watercress from the garden safe for my 5 kg terrier, or is it only okay for bigger dogs? It's safe for dogs of any size, including your terrier. Watercress is a non-toxic green treat. The difference… Dogs · Food safety Can my 20 kg dog eat the raw stems of parsley, or are only the leaves safe as a breath freshener? Both the leaves and stems of plain parsley are safe for dogs. The stems are just more fibrous, so if your dog… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog grabbed a chunk of cooked turnip off the holiday buffet table. Is this an emergency? No, this is not an emergency. Cooked turnip is safe for dogs in small amounts. The main worry is the sudden… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat ate herring that was left out on the counter overnight — is it still safe? Skip it. Cooked herring is safe for cats, but once it has been left out at room temperature overnight… Cats · Emergency guide My 8 kg senior cat knocked over a bottle of tea tree oil and licked about half a teaspoon — what should I do right now? Call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 right away. Tea tree oil is concentrated and… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg diabetic dog ate about a tablespoon of chicken curry made with galangal instead of ginger — is that safe? It is probably fine, but keep an eye on his blood sugar. Fresh ginger in small amounts can actually settle a…

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