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 3 kg Chihuahua ate a 2-ounce piece of plain, cooked salmon fillet — is that too much for her tiny size? No, that amount is safe. Cooked, boneless salmon is a healthy treat rich in omega-3s. Two ounces for a 3 kg… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog on heart medication ate one small segment of pomelo — is the citrus oil risky with his meds? It's a mild risk, but one small segment is unlikely to cause an issue. Citrus oils can irritate the stomach… Cats · Food safety My 6‑kg cat on heart medication ate one raw endive leaf 20 minutes ago — is that safe? Yes, one leaf is safe. Endive is just a green vegetable and isn't known to interact with heart medications.… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a small piece of my avocado toast. How much avocado is dangerous for a cat? Yes, even a small amount is a problem. Avocado contains persin, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate one raw broccoli floret off the floor; my other cat didn't. What should I watch for? Watch the one that ate it for mild stomach upset over the next 12 hours. A single floret is a small amount… Cats · Food safety My 3-month-old 1.5 kg kitten just ate two washed raspberries — is that safe for her small size? Yes, two washed raspberries are safe for a kitten. Her small size means you should keep treats tiny, but a… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a few bites of fish chowder that contained cod and cream — is the cooked cod in the soup safe? The cod itself is safe, but the soup is the problem. Chowder often contains onion, garlic, and a lot of salt… Dogs · Food safety My 20 kg dog ate about six shelled pecans an hour ago. What are the first signs of trouble, and how soon would vomiting or pancreatitis start? The first sign is usually vomiting or diarrhea within 6-12 hours, caused by the high fat irritating the… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog licked the crusty rim of a soy sauce bottle that's been in the pantry for over a year. Is spoiled soy sauce more dangerous? The spoilage itself isn't the main risk—it's the extreme salt concentration, which can be even higher as the… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 15 kg dog licked a small puddle of what looked like pure, undiluted antifreeze on the garage floor. Is raw antifreeze worse than the diluted kind in a car? Yes, pure antifreeze is far more concentrated and therefore more toxic per milliliter. The sweet taste makes… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat licked a spoon that had garlic mayonnaise on it. Is the garlic in mayo more dangerous than raw garlic? The garlic is equally toxic regardless of the form—mayo just adds fat and sometimes lemon juice, which can… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Should I buy a bag of commercial dog jerky treats that list onion powder in the ingredients for my 10 kg terrier? No, you should not buy those treats. Onion powder is a concentrated form, and even small amounts listed in… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog ate cooked crab meat that might have had tiny shell fragments mixed in — what signs should I watch for and when? Watch for signs of internal injury from the shell fragments. The first clue is often gagging or repeated… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I prevent my 6 kg curious puppy from getting into my birth control pills, which are in a weekly pill organizer on my nightstand? Move the pill organizer immediately. A weekly organizer is not childproof, and a puppy can easily chew… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat with a sensitive stomach licked a bit of dry cornmeal off the floor — could this give her diarrhoea or gas? It might, but plain cornmeal is generally low-risk. The main issue for a sensitive cat is the sudden… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat just ate a 2-inch piece of cooked turkey skin with seasoning and gravy 15 minutes ago — what are my first steps? First, clear all remaining turkey and plates from her reach. The skin and gravy are high in fat and salt, and… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat licked a spoonful of baby food that had salami in it — what signs should I watch for? Watch for vomiting, diarrhea, or unusual thirst over the next 24 hours. The main risks are the high salt and… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat ate half a tablespoon of cottage cheese left out on the counter. My other cat didn't touch it. What do I do? Yes, that amount is safe for a cat his size. The main risk for cats is lactose, which can cause mild… Dogs · Food safety Can I feed my nursing 25 kg labrador a fresh strawberry after whelping, or will it affect the puppies through her milk? Yes, it's safe for a nursing mother dog. Wash the berry, slice it, and remove the green top before offering… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog just got into an open tub of garlic hummus while I was unpacking groceries — what should I do right now? Check the tub — how much is actually missing and whether your dog is showing any signs yet. A 12 kg dog… Dogs · Food safety My dog ate a spoiled pickle left out overnight, is he okay? Yes, a spoiled pickle is unlikely to harm your dog. However, watch for signs like vomiting or diarrhea. If he… Dogs · Food safety Can a 5 kg Shih Tzu with a sensitive stomach get diarrhoea from a pinch of cumin in her food? Yes, it can — not from poisoning but from her gut simply not tolerating the spice. Cumin is safe in the tiny… Dogs · Food safety My 5 kg Jack Russell puppy ate a spoonful of stew that contained raisins two hours ago and is now vomiting — what do I do? This is urgent — call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 right now. Even a small… Cats · Food safety Are commercial cat treats that contain sugar-free xylitol gum safe for my 4 kg indoor cat? Check the ingredient list carefully before buying — if xylitol appears anywhere, put the bag back. Cats are… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg terrier ate one of my fluoxetine (Prozac) 20 mg pills four hours ago — what are the first signs of SSRI poisoning I should watch for? Watch for restlessness, pacing, tremors or shaking, a very high body temperature with heavy panting, and… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg Dachshund ate one marshmallow versus one malted milk ball — which is worse for his pancreas? Neither is ideal, but the marshmallow carries more immediate risk because of its shape and texture. A… Cats · Food safety My 2 kg Russian Blue cat ate one plain cooked green bean — does her tiny size make this riskier than for a larger cat? No — size does not change the risk here because a single plain green bean is harmless to any cat regardless… Dogs · Toxicity calculator At a birthday party, my 8 kg terrier snatched a sugar-free gum from the coffee table — should I rush to the vet or is there time to watch him? Do not wait — call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 immediately. Xylitol is absorbed… Dogs · Food safety My 6 kg Shih Tzu ate a sprig of fresh rosemary from the garden while my 15 kg collie did not — do I need to worry about the small dog? One sprig is very unlikely to cause harm in either dog. Rosemary is safe in food amounts and is actually used… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg golden retriever knocked over a plate of leftover Chinese takeaway and ate several lime wedges mixed into the rice — what should I watch for? It's a mild issue. The lime flesh and juice are too acidic, and the peel oils can bring on drooling, vomiting…

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