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

Poisoning questions, answered

Every question has a direct answer, a symptom checklist and clear next steps — plus a matching tool that estimates the real risk.

Prefer to run the tool?

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

All pets Dogs Cats

Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog ate two oil-packed anchovies — are they saltier and worse for him than sardines in water? Yes, oil-packed anchovies are far saltier. They're cured in salt before being packed in oil, making them a… Dogs · Food safety Which common human foods and snacks might contain ground flaxseed that my 8 kg dog could accidentally eat? Check granola bars, multigrain breads, and some breakfast cereals — they often add flax for fibre. Vegan egg… Dogs · Emergency guide Is biting a laundry detergent pod more dangerous for my 5 kg Pomeranian than for my 30 kg German Shepherd? Yes, size drastically changes the risk. For a tiny Pomeranian, even a small puncture releases a concentrated… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat found and ate a chewed, half-dissolved alprazolam pill that fell on the carpet — is the form more dangerous? Yes, a chewed or dissolving pill is more dangerous because the medication absorbs faster. With alprazolam… Cats · Food safety Could one small mandarin segment give my 4 kg cat with a sensitive stomach diarrhea later tonight? It could, especially if she's not used to fruit. The natural sugars and acidity in a mandarin segment can… Dogs · Food safety Is a few licks of plain coconut water safe for my 7 kg dog who takes heart medication daily? A few licks are likely fine, but check with your vet first. Coconut water is high in potassium, and some… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a bowl of leftover seafood chowder with a scallop piece in it. Is it safe? Yes, the scallop itself is safe. The bigger risk is the chowder base, which likely contains onion, garlic, or… Cats · Food safety My 3-month-old kitten licked a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and is now coughing. What should I do? A teaspoon is a lot for a small kitten and the powder can irritate her throat and lungs. The coughing means… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier licked a spilled takeaway sauce that had a silica gel packet sitting in it overnight. What's the risk from the sauce and the packet? The sauce itself is not the problem — the real risk is whether he swallowed any of the packet. Silica gel… Dogs · Emergency guide What are the first signs of insulin poisoning in a 5 kg puppy, and how soon after licking a used pen would they show up? The first signs are weakness, wobbliness, and confusion, which can start in as little as 30 minutes. A… Dogs · Emergency guide Are raw poinsettia leaves more dangerous for my 15 kg dog than cooked leaves or the sap in a holiday sauce? The risk is similar — the irritating milky sap is present in raw leaves, cooked leaves, and any sauce made… Cats · Food safety Only my 4 kg cat ate a spiced cookie with nutmeg left out overnight; my dog didn't touch it. What's the risk for her and do I need to isolate her? Yes, this is urgent — nutmeg causes neurological signs like tremors and disorientation, and a small cat… Dogs · Food safety How much fresh durian is too much for my 30 kg dog? He ate a chunk the size of a golf ball about an hour ago. A golf-ball-sized piece is a lot for any dog — the high fat and sugar can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, or… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 5 kg cat just licked a drop of nicotine vape juice off the floor 10 minutes ago — what are the concrete first steps I should take right now? Call your vet immediately — nicotine acts fast and even a small drop can be toxic to a cat. Do not try to… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 18 kg dog just ate a handful of green grapes I dropped while cooking — what should I do in the next hour before the vet? Call your vet or an emergency clinic now — do not wait. Grape toxicity is unpredictable and can cause kidney… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg senior cat took one tiny nibble from a fresh aloe leaf and got some of the yellow sap — is that enough to cause vomiting or should I worry? Yes, even a small amount of the yellow sap can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, especially in an older, smaller… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg Corgi ate a whole lotus flower from the vase and is now drooling, but my other dog is fine. What do I do? That drooling means oral irritation and you need to call your vet now. The alkaloids in sacred lotus plants… Dogs · Food safety My 3 kg puppy snatched a raw catfish fillet from the counter. What should I do? Plain catfish is safe for dogs, but raw fish carries a risk of bacteria or parasites. For a small puppy, the… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog chewed tomato leaves while my other 20 kg dog didn't touch them — is the smaller dog at higher risk? Yes, a smaller dog faces more risk from the solanine and tomatine in tomato leaves and stems. Those green… Cats · Emergency guide My 4.5 kg cat lapped up the bottom of my 5-HTP supplement bowl mixed into chicken broth last night — what should I watch for? This is urgent. 5-HTP raises serotonin directly and can trigger tremors, seizures, or serotonin syndrome even… Cats · Food safety My 3.8 kg cat ate soaked chia seeds from her bowl but my 6 kg dog didn't get any — could the chia hurt the dog if he later laps her leftovers? Soaked chia seeds are safe for both dogs and cats when given in small amounts. The real risk comes from dry… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog licked a persimmon dessert that still had seeds in it — is this an emergency? Yes, this warrants prompt veterinary attention. Persimmon seeds and unripe fruit are listed by the ASPCA as… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a granola bar with raisins and chocolate chips six hours ago — what does aftercare look like and how long should I monitor her? Six hours is past the typical window for early vomiting, but raisins and chocolate are serious concerns for… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog licked the residue from my apricot sauce pan — the pits were removed but some kernel fragments might have gotten in. Should I worry about cyanide? The sauce residue itself is low risk, but apricot kernels do contain cyanide compounds. If even small… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat walked through a puddle of ammonia floor cleaner and is now licking her paws. Should I call the vet? Yes, call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. A small cat's low body weight means even a… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat ate a taro leaf, but I have lotus plants too — is lotus worse? Yes, lotus is more concerning for a cat. Taro leaves can irritate the mouth, but lotus contains alkaloids… Dogs · Food safety My 4 kg Chihuahua licked a tiny bit of honey off a teaspoon I dropped — is that okay? Yes, one lick is safe. The risk is from sugar volume, and a teaspoon holds far more than a small dog can lick… Dogs · Food safety My 4-month-old 3 kg puppy just ate one fresh mint leaf from my herb garden. Should I be worried? No, one leaf is safe. A puppy's small size makes them more sensitive, but a single fresh leaf is unlikely to… Cats · Emergency guide How can I safely store liquid Baytril to prevent my 5 kg curious cat from getting into it? Store it in a locked cabinet immediately after each use. A single overdose of this antibiotic can cause… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a small piece of dark chocolate about 30 minutes ago. What symptoms should I watch for and when? Watch for vomiting, restlessness, and tremors starting within 2-4 hours. Chocolate is highly toxic to cats…

Page 126 of 337

The library keeps growing. Can’t find your situation? Open the matching toxicity calculator and enter weight plus amount for an instant risk level.