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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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 Are dental chews for medium-sized dogs that have kale powder as the fifth ingredient safe for my 18 kg healthy adult dog? Yes, they are safe. Kale is safe for dogs in small amounts, and when it's powdered and far down the… Cats · Food safety Can I give a few grains of plain cooked white rice to my 10-week-old kitten who has a slightly upset stomach? Yes, a few grains are safe. Plain cooked rice is bland and easy to digest, which is why it's part of many… Dogs · Emergency guide My 30 lb puppy just bit the foam oven cleaner canister. He drooled once. Emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Oven cleaner foam contains strong alkali that burns on contact. Even a small bite… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I train my 12 kg Labrador to leave avocados alone when I make guacamole? Train a solid "leave it" command before you ever have an avocado in hand. Start with low-value items like a… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10-week-old, 2 kg puppy licked a damp spot of ammonia floor cleaner — is this more dangerous for a puppy? Yes, far more dangerous. A puppy's small size means even a tiny amount of corrosive cleaner is concentrated… Cats · Emergency guide How do I stop my 5 kg cat from licking the dog's flea treatment during a family BBQ when guests are distracted? Separate them completely for at least 24 hours after applying the dog's treatment. Put the cat in a quiet… Dogs · Food safety Can a few bites of plain boiled crawfish tail cause itchy skin or diarrhea in a 7 kg dog with a sensitive stomach? Yes, it's possible. Shellfish like crawfish are a known allergen for some dogs, and a sensitive stomach may… Dogs · Food safety Can I give my 8 kg diabetic dog on insulin a small piece of nectarine flesh as a treat? Only with extreme caution. A tiny piece of flesh once in a while is usually okay, but nectarines contain… Cats · Emergency guide My 7-year-old senior cat licked a bit of my avocado oil supplement from the dropper. Should I be worried? Yes, call your vet. Avocado oil is concentrated and contains persin, the same toxin found in the fruit. Even… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog just licked oven cleaner foam off the nozzle. He's pawing at his mouth and drooling. What do I do in the next hour? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) right now. Oven cleaner is a strong alkali that causes… Cats · Emergency guide My cat licked a drop of oven cleaner 30 minutes ago and is drooling. What signs appear next and when? Yes, this is urgent. The drooling means chemical burns have already started in her mouth. Ulcers, white… Dogs · Food safety My 9 kg dog ate a few bites of an acai bowl that was left on the counter overnight. Should I be concerned about spoilage? Watch for vomiting or diarrhea, but the main risk is still from the toppings. The fruit pulp itself isn't… Dogs · Food safety Can herring give my 4 kg Jack Russell diarrhoea and gas if he has a sensitive stomach? It can, and it depends on the preparation. Plain cooked herring is gentle on most dogs' guts, but pickled or… Cats · Food safety Are cat treats with guava listed on the label safe for my 6 kg Persian? Likely yes, but check the ingredient list for added sugars or citric acid. Ripe guava flesh itself is safe… Cats · Emergency guide My 2.5 kg cat licked liquid phenylephrine decongestant 15 minutes ago and seems normal — when will symptoms start? Symptoms can begin as early as 15 to 30 minutes, so the fact that she seems fine right now does not mean she… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg dog just vomited after eating two tablespoons of store-bought guacamole — is this an emergency? It is urgent, and the vomiting is almost certainly from the onion and garlic in the guacamole, not the… Cats · Food safety Is a 5 kg cat safer eating poppy seeds or a slice of bread? Poppy seeds are safer; they contain trace opiates but are less likely to cause harm. Bread is a common food… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate rat poison 3 days ago and now has pale gums and weakness — how urgent is this? This is an emergency — anticoagulant rodenticides cause internal bleeding that surfaces 2–5 days after… Dogs · Emergency guide Is it dangerous to give my 25 kg dog a handful of chrysanthemum leaves every day for a couple of weeks as a natural dewormer? Yes — keep stopping right now. Repeated feeding of chrysanthemum leaves is not safe. Each bite still contains… Cats · Food safety I bought a bag of premium cat treats that lists Swiss chard in the ingredients — is it safe for my 5 kg cat who has had a few urine crystals before? Skip them. Swiss chard is high in oxalates, and with a history of crystals that raises the chance of another… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog scavenged a piece of rye bread that sat on the counter overnight and smells sour — is that dangerous? It's not ideal, but your dog is unlikely to get poisoned by the rye itself. The sour smell means it has… Cats · Food safety My 12-lb cat ate crawfish tails that were left out overnight — is that dangerous? No — a 12-lb cat eating plain cooked crawfish left out overnight is unlikely to have a serious problem, but… Cats · Food safety I am hosting Thanksgiving and my 8-year-old senior cat might steal a bite of plain cooked spaghetti squash from the table — is that safe to share? Yes, plain cooked spaghetti squash is safe for cats. The flesh is mostly fibre and water — nothing your cat's… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier was bitten on the face by a small snake while digging in the garden — what do I do about the swelling and puncture wounds? Get to an emergency vet immediately — facial bites swell quickly and can block the airway. Keep your dog calm… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a few frozen peas that fell on the floor — is that safer for her than if she ate corn kernels? Yes, a few plain frozen peas are much safer than corn kernels for a cat. Peas are non-toxic and low in… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg senior cat licked a tiny bit of unflavored whey protein powder from my shaker cup — is that safe, or should I worry about the powder form? A single lick of unflavored whey powder is low risk for a cat, but the powder form is the main concern. Dry… Cats · Food safety Are soft, chewy cat treats that list corn syrup as the third ingredient safe for my 4 kg cat with no health issues? They're not ideal, but an occasional treat is unlikely to harm a healthy cat. Corn syrup is concentrated… Dogs · Food safety My 40 lb Labrador keeps trying to steal cooked haddock from the kitchen counter — how can I train him to leave it alone? The haddock itself is safe — plain, cooked fish is fine for dogs. The real problem is a 40 lb dog learning to… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat gets a small piece of sausage with his breakfast every morning — what long-term problems could this cause? Yes, feeding sausage daily is a problem for cats. The high salt and fat content can slowly lead to obesity… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog ate three raw, unsalted macadamia nuts in their shells. What do I do? Call your vet now. Raw, cooked, or shelled—all forms of macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs. The hard shell…

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