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
Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat who gets an upset stomach easily ate a couple of small bites of pitted plum flesh yesterday. She had loose stool this morning. Is this normal? Loose stool after eating plum is a common reaction, especially in cats with sensitive digestive systems. The… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat keeps jumping on the counter and stealing bites of my cooked couscous. How do I keep her off the kitchen counter without stressing her? Plain cooked couscous is safe for cats in small amounts, but the real issue is the habit itself — counter… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg senior cat just ate about a tablespoon of plain cooked bulgur wheat. What signs should I watch for and how soon would they show? Plain cooked bulgur is safe for cats, so you likely will not see any problems at all. Wheat is not a natural… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat chewed on a few macadamia nuts thinking they were cashews—are these worse for cats? Cashews are far safer. The problem with macadamia nuts is they're actually toxic to cats — vomiting… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg rescue dog licked raw chicken gravy left from last night's roast — should I be worried about bacteria? Yes, take it seriously. Raw poultry gravy can carry Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria, and an 8 kg dog is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog ate a large piece of seasoned rawhide. Is raw or cooked rawhide safer? No, neither is safe—the seasoning is irrelevant because the main danger is the chewed-up chunk itself. A… Cats · Emergency guide My cat just ate about 5 fertilizer pellets from a bag, not potting soil. Is this more dangerous? Yes, fertilizer pellets are far more dangerous than plain potting soil. The soil itself is mostly inert, but… Cats · Emergency guide My 10-year-old cat licked a powdered thyroid supplement I spilled on the counter—how urgent is this? Yes, this is urgent. Levothyroxine powder is concentrated and easily absorbed, so even a small lick can… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat ate one ibuprofen tablet off the floor, but my other cats didn't. What's the risk for her and how do I handle the others? This is an urgent poisoning emergency for the cat that ate it. Ibuprofen is highly toxic to cats and even one… Cats · Emergency guide My 2 kg cat just licked a pea-sized drop of expanding polyurethane glue. Is this more dangerous because she's so small? Yes, go to the vet now. A cat that small has a stomach the size of a walnut, so even a pea-sized amount can… Dogs · Food safety My 4 kg Yorkie ate some raw elderberries this morning around 8 and vomited by 10 — what should I watch for and how long does this last? Stop giving the berries immediately and call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. The… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg beagle ate a bowl of cooked spinach left on the counter — what should I watch for over the next 48 hours? It's safe in that amount — one bowl of cooked spinach won't hurt an 8 kg beagle. Watch for vomiting… Cats · Food safety I feed my 7 kg cat shredded cooked rabbit every day as his main meal—will he get sick from eating it this often? It is safe to feed your cat cooked rabbit daily because it is a common novel protein found in many commercial… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog licked 5-HTP tablets I'd crumbled into a rice stew that sat on the counter for an hour. Should I be worried? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) now. The 5-HTP doesn't disappear when it's cooked into… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a tablespoon of hummus 30 minutes ago — when would vomiting or wobbliness start? Watch for vomiting within the first 2–6 hours. The garlic and lemon in hummus can irritate a cat's stomach… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog ate a chunk of raw durian with the skin and seeds — are those parts toxic? The main risk is the thick, spiky skin and large seeds causing a blockage, not a toxin. A dog that size might… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat chewed a jade plant leaf, not aloe vera — which is more toxic and how soon would wobbliness show? Jade plant is more dangerous for cats. Aloe vera mainly causes vomiting and diarrhoea, but jade plant can… Cats · Food safety How much lemon juice would make my 3 kg cat vomit, and is a few drops from a cut lemon dangerous? A few drops from a cut lemon are unlikely to cause vomiting, but the acid can still make her drool or paw at… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg diabetic dog licked a teaspoon of agave syrup off the counter — will this spike his blood sugar? Yes, a teaspoon of agave syrup is pure sugar and will spike his blood sugar. Treat it exactly like honey or… Cats · Food safety At a BBQ, my 5 kg cat stole a bite of grilled haddock that had butter and salt — what should I do right now? Remove her from the table area first — cats often go back for more. The haddock itself is fine, but the… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg kitten just ate a green tomato leaf and stem from the plant — what do I do in the next hour? First, move the plant out of reach — kittens will nibble again. The green parts contain solanine, which is… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat ate three cooked, peeled chestnuts — when would vomiting or diarrhoea start if it happens? Chestnuts are safe, so vomiting or diarrhoea is unlikely unless she has a very sensitive stomach. If it does… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg indoor cat found and ate some mashed celeriac that was left on the counter overnight — should I be worried? It's safe if the celeriac itself was plain and just sat out — cooked root vegetable left at room temperature… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat had a tiny bite of shallot — is this an emergency? Yes, it's urgent. Shallots are toxic to cats. Watch for vomiting, diarrhea, or lack of appetite within 24… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat keeps getting diarrhoea after chewing English ivy leaves — is this a sensitivity issue? Likely yes. English ivy contains saponins that irritate the digestive tract, and some cats develop… Dogs · Emergency guide After my 8 kg dog ate dried oleander leaves, what does the vet monitor during recovery and how long should I watch for symptoms at home? Your dog will need close monitoring for at least 24 hours because oleandrin damages the heart and effects can… Cats · Food safety Is it safe to feed a 4 kg cat raw redcurrants with the stems left on? Remove the stems before offering them. Redcurrants themselves are safe for cats in small amounts, but the… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg senior cat regularly walks on floors mopped with ammonia cleaner — what long-term damage could this cause? Chronic exposure to ammonia fumes and residue can damage the respiratory tract and irritate the mouth and… Dogs · Food safety My 4 kg dog ate cooked duck from my pasta dish at dinner — is the sauce or skin the real concern? The duck meat itself is safe, but the pasta sauce and skin are the real concerns. Duck skin is high in fat… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg senior cat ate a piece of cooked potato with green skin — what should I monitor at home after this? Green potato skin contains solanine, which is toxic to cats. Watch your cat closely for the next 24 hours for…

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