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

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

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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 My 5 kg cat just swallowed a large chunk of rawhide 20 minutes ago and is now drooling — what do I do first? Yes, this is urgent. Drooling means the chunk is likely stuck in his throat or esophagus. Do not try to pull… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a cooked scallion ring from my bowl. What symptoms start first, and when? Call your vet now, especially for a cat that small. The first sign is often vomiting or diarrhea within a few… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat ate a tablespoon of cooked quinoa from my bowl an hour ago — when would she vomit if it's going to upset her stomach? She likely won't. Plain, rinsed quinoa is safe for cats and rarely causes trouble. Stomach upset from a new… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog grabbed a dishwasher pod from the holiday buffet table and bit into it — what's the immediate danger? Yes, this is an emergency. Dishwasher pods are concentrated detergent that foams intensely if inhaled, which… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a plate with about a teaspoon of leftover olive oil from our takeaway pasta — will this give her diarrhea? A teaspoon of olive oil is safe but may cause loose stools, especially for a small cat. Watch for… Cats · Emergency guide My pregnant 3.5 kg cat licked a thick smear of zinc oxide diaper cream off my baby's leg — is this more dangerous for her and the unborn kittens? Yes, zinc oxide is highly toxic to cats, and pregnancy increases the risk. The zinc can be absorbed and… Dogs · Food safety My 18 kg dog ate two large spoonfuls of beef stew gravy that I just realized contains onion powder — should I induce vomiting now? Onion powder is concentrated and dangerous. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet explicitly tells you to… Cats · Food safety My nursing cat licked a spoon of sugar‑free yogurt sweetened with stevia — could this affect her 3‑week‑old kittens through her milk? Stevia itself isn't toxic, but the risk is in the blend. Many stevia products are cut with xylitol or… Dogs · Emergency guide Could autumn crocus be a hidden ingredient in herbal tea blends, and what if my 7 kg dog chewed one tea bag? Yes, autumn crocus (colchicum) is sometimes mistakenly used in herbal teas meant for saffron or other herbs.… Cats · Food safety Is a whole kumquat more dangerous for my 4 kg cat than a segment of peeled orange, since she ate the peel too? Yes, the whole kumquat is riskier because the peel contains concentrated citrus oils that cause mouth… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 6 kg dog licked the kitchen table where I'd just crushed a 200mg ibuprofen pill — could that tiny residue hurt her? Yes, even residue can be dangerous for a small dog. Ibuprofen is absorbed quickly, and a dose as low as 8–16… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg terrier keeps finding protein bars in my gym bag. How can I train him to leave them alone? Yes, train 'leave it' and secure your bag — that bar is a genuine poisoning risk. Xylitol and chocolate are… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a spoonful of asparagus baby food — is the puréed form safe? Yes, plain puréed asparagus is safe for cats. The main risk in baby food is often added onion or garlic… Cats · Emergency guide Is a slice of raisin bread with a golden crust still toxic to my 4 kg cat, since the raisins were baked into it? Yes — the toxin in raisins is not destroyed by heat, so even a baked slice is dangerous for a 4 kg cat. A… Cats · Food safety Are raisins more toxic than fresh grapes to my 4 kg cat, or is the danger the same? The danger is the same — both raisins and fresh grapes contain the same unknown toxin that attacks the… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a corner of pepperoni pizza while my 8 kg dog stayed away — is my dog still at risk from onion and garlic in the crust? If your dog never tasted the pizza at all, he is fine — onion and garlic powder must be ingested to cause… Dogs · Food safety Is grape jam more dangerous for my 8 kg dog than strawberry jam, or is it just the sugar? Grape jam is far more dangerous — it contains actual grape toxicity on top of the sugar, while strawberry jam… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3-month-old, 5 kg puppy swallowed one pseudoephedrine decongestant tablet — is this an emergency given his age and size? Yes, this is an emergency. A 5 kg puppy is far more vulnerable to pseudoephedrine than an adult dog, and a… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate a whole raw kale leaf from the bag, is that too much? No, a single leaf is a safe amount for a cat. The main concern is the indigestible fiber, which can cause an… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg pregnant dog ate a palm-sized smear of zinc oxide diaper cream. Does this risk her and the puppies? Yes, this is an emergency for both the mother and her unborn puppies. Zinc toxicity destroys red blood cells… Dogs · Food safety My 40 kg dog just licked the sauce from a takeaway trout dish — is the sauce a problem? No, the sauce itself isn't dangerous. The main risk from cooked trout is tiny, sharp bones that can get… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate three cooked clam pieces last night and now has soft stool. Is this an allergy? No, this is not an allergy but likely a mild stomach upset from the new food. A sudden change in diet, even… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat with a heart murmur ate one fresh mistletoe berry 20 minutes ago — should I be worried? Yes, call your vet now. Mistletoe contains toxins that can slow the heart, and a pre-existing murmur makes… Cats · Food safety Only my 5 kg indoor cat ate about a tablespoon of plain cooked buckwheat — my dog didn't touch it. Is she safe? Yes, she's safe. Plain cooked buckwheat is not toxic to cats in small amounts like a tablespoon. The main… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat and 20 kg dog both ate a few bites of the same plain hot dog — do they face the same level of risk? No, the risk is different. The high salt and nitrates are a bigger concern for the smaller cat — even a few… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 15 kg dog just swallowed a single 200mg ibuprofen pill off the floor — what should I do in the next 30 minutes? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 immediately. Do not wait for symptoms — stomach and… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate about six ripe mulberries an hour ago — how long should I monitor her and what would the vet check? Monitor her for 12-24 hours. Ripe mulberries are safe, so a vet visit isn't needed unless she shows signs.… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat was treated for licking zinc oxide cream — what tests will the vet run during recovery and how long until she's back to normal? The vet will run blood tests to check red blood cell count and look for signs of hemolytic anemia, often… Dogs · Emergency guide Is one 500mg metformin pill more dangerous for my 5 kg small dog than for a 30 kg large breed? Yes, dramatically more dangerous. For a 5 kg dog, that's 100 mg/kg — a dose that can cause severe… Dogs · Emergency guide Which everyday packaged snacks or baked goods might contain crushed pear pits that a 10 kg dog could accidentally eat? Watch for fruit breads, granola bars, and some trail mixes that list "pear" or "dried pear" without…

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