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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 · Emergency guide How do I keep my 10-year-old cat away from a yew plant sitting on the kitchen windowsill? Move the plant out of reach immediately. Even a single needle can cause sudden cardiac arrest in cats. Place… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I prevent my 8-week-old puppy from chewing lily of the valley in a container garden? Remove the plant entirely or move it to an inaccessible area. Lily of the valley contains cardiac glycosides… Dogs · Emergency guide My 14 kg beagle ate English ivy leaves but my 5 kg chihuahua didn't — does the smaller dog need extra care? Yes, the smaller dog is at higher risk per kilogram of body weight. English ivy saponins cause irritation… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat took one bite of kalanchoe an hour ago and seems normal — should I still call the vet? Yes, call immediately. Kalanchoe contains bufadiolide cardiac glycosides that can cause life-threatening… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog has been getting high-dose vitamin A supplements daily for six months — what long-term risks should I watch for? Vitamin A accumulates in the liver and can cause bone abnormalities, skin lesions, and liver failure over… Dogs · Emergency guide Is cooked bread crust safe for my 12 kg dog compared to raw dough, and how much raw dough is dangerous? Cooked bread crust is generally safe in small amounts, but raw dough is an emergency. Raw yeast continues to… Dogs · Emergency guide Are dried kalanchoe leaves less toxic to my 10 kg dog than fresh ones, and what signs should I watch for? Dried kalanchoe leaves are still toxic — the bufadiolide glycosides remain active even when wilted. A 10 kg… Cats · Emergency guide My 2 kg cat chewed raw bread dough for only 10 seconds before I pulled her away. Do I still need to worry about bloat or alcohol poisoning? Yes — even a lick is enough. The yeast keeps working in a warm stomach, the dough expands, and fermentation… Dogs · Emergency guide A 5 kg dog ate two yew berries last night and vomited — after the vet sees him, how many hours should I keep a close eye on him at home? Keep a close eye on him for at least 48 hours after discharge. Taxine alkaloids can trigger cardiac arrest… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat just ate half a can of tuna packed in oil and a cod liver oil capsule — could this cause vitamin A toxicity? Yes, that combination is a high risk for vitamin A toxicity. Liver oils and oily fish like tuna are… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg kitten nibbled a leaf — is English ivy more toxic than the pothos plant she usually chews on? Yes, English ivy is significantly more dangerous than pothos for a cat. Pothos causes mouth irritation and… Dogs · Food safety My 25 kg Labrador ate a whole fried plantain slice from the party buffet — is that okay? A single piece is likely okay, but fried plantain is not ideal. The main worry is the oil, salt, and any… Dogs · Food safety Only my 8 kg Poodle ate the cilantro garnish off the tacos — my other dog didn't. What do I do now? Cilantro itself is safe, so focus on the Poodle who ate it. Check the leftover garnish for other ingredients… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg diabetic dog on insulin licked a spoon from my acai bowl — what should I watch for? Watch his blood glucose closely. The acai itself isn't the problem; it's the sugar in the bowl that can cause… Dogs · Food safety My 5 kg Dachshund ate three slices of pepperoni 30 minutes ago — what signs of trouble should appear first, and how soon? For a small dog, that's a concerning amount of fat and salt. The first signs are usually gastrointestinal and… Cats · Emergency guide Are those 'hydration booster' liquid treats safe for my 4 kg cat who already drinks plenty? No, they are not safe for a cat who already drinks well. These products force extra water intake, which can… Cats · Food safety One of my two cats, a 4 kg tabby, ate a sugar-free hard candy — the other cat didn't. How do I handle them both? This is an emergency for the tabby. Sugar-free candy often contains xylitol, which causes a rapid… Dogs · Food safety Are dehydrated kohlrabi chew sticks safe for my 15 kg dog if he eats one whole stick a day? Yes, plain dehydrated kohlrabi is safe and can be a good low-calorie chew. The key is 'plain' — check the… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked a supplement paste with lily of the valley extract 30 minutes ago. Is it safe? No, it is not safe. Lily of the valley extract contains the same cardiac toxins as the whole plant, and even… Cats · Food safety Are goose meat cat treats with gravy safe for my 5 kg senior cat with kidney disease? Yes, those treats are safe, but the gravy and fat matter more than the goose. Read the label for salt and… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a plate with a few slivered almonds in leftover curry sauce. Should I worry? Probably not, but the sauce is the bigger concern. A few tiny almond pieces in a cat that size are unlikely… Dogs · Food safety My 25 kg Labrador stole and ate about 10 grilled shrimp tails from a BBQ buffet within 30 seconds. What now? The main risk is the tails, not the shrimp. Those sharp, brittle shells can scrape the gut or cause a partial… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog drank from a leftover vanilla whey protein shaker that was sweetened. What should I check for? Check the ingredient list for xylitol immediately—it's a common sweetener in protein powders and is highly… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate two Brazil nuts 6 hours ago and has vomited twice. What tests will the vet likely run? The vet will likely check for selenium toxicity and pancreatitis. They'll start with blood work to look at… Dogs · Food safety My 5 kg Chihuahua licked one small cherry tomato that rolled off the counter. Is that a problem? No, licking a ripe red tomato is not a problem. The toxic solanine is in the green leaves and stems, not the… Cats · Food safety Could chewing a few tomato leaves cause diarrhea and itchy skin in my 3 kg cat with a sensitive stomach? Yes, chewing the leaves is the problem, not the fruit. The solanine and tomatine in the leaves are… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat seems itchy—can I give her a quarter of a 25 mg diphenhydramine tablet for her skin? No, never give human diphenhydramine to a cat without specific veterinary instruction. The dose is extremely… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog licked a dime-sized dab of my steroid cream off my leg. Is that enough to be dangerous? Yes, that's a high-risk amount. A dime-sized dab is a significant dose for a dog, and licking delivers it… Cats · Food safety My 9 lb cat ate half a cup of cooked plain butternut squash—is that too much? That's a safe amount. Plain cooked butternut squash is gentle on a cat's stomach, and half a cup for a 9 lb… Dogs · Emergency guide Are dental chews or supplements for small dogs that list xylitol in the ingredients safe to buy? No, never buy them. Xylitol is a common sweetener in some pet dental products, and it's extremely toxic to…

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