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 · Emergency guide My cat ate a pill pocket I used for his ear infection medication — is that enough to cause an overdose? Yes, that is a risk and you should call your vet now. The pill pocket itself is safe, but any leftover… Cats · Food safety My 10 lb indoor cat ate five small pieces of cantaloupe at once — is that too much sugar in one sitting? Yes, safe — just not every day. Cantaloupe is fine in small, rind-free pieces, but five chunks in one go… Dogs · Food safety My 30 kg labrador just ate a bowl of plain cooked bulgur wheat at breakfast — could it make him vomit, and how long after eating would I notice it? No. Plain cooked bulgur is safe for dogs. If your lab happened to eat too much, you might see vomiting within… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat ate three small chunks of pitted apricot an hour ago and now has diarrhoea and a gurgling belly — could the apricot be the cause? It's very possible. A cat that small eating three chunks in one go can irritate a sensitive gut, and the… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat knocked over a small bowl of olive oil on the counter and drank most of it, but my other two cats didn't touch it — should I worry? No, you don't need to worry. Olive oil isn't toxic to cats, and that amount is well within what's safe. The… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg nursing cat ate three salted pistachio kernels — could this affect her milk or kittens? It's a mild risk, not an emergency, but avoid pistachios. The salt can make her thirsty and might cause mild… Dogs · Emergency guide Could a laundry detergent pod be hidden inside a sealed dog treat pouch, and what would happen if my 10 kg dog bit it? It's extremely unlikely a pod would be inside a commercial treat pouch, but if one somehow got in and your… Cats · Emergency guide Does some clumping cat litter or litter deodorizer secretly contain ammonia, and what would happen if my 5 kg cat inhaled the dust? Some cheaper clay litters and deodorizers can release ammonia as urine breaks down, but they don't usually… Cats · Food safety How can I stop my 3 kg curious kitten from knocking over and drinking my glass of coconut water left on the coffee table? Use a lidded travel mug or keep your drink in the kitchen behind a closed door. Kittens are climbers, so… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog with early kidney disease ate two plain boiled crawfish tails — is the protein or sodium a problem for him? Two plain tails are fine. The protein amount is trivial, and boiled crawfish tail meat is naturally low in… Cats · Food safety My pregnant cat just ate a whole small raw endive leaf. Is it safe for her and the kittens? Yes, a whole leaf is safe for a pregnant cat and her unborn kittens. Endive is non-toxic, so it won't harm… Dogs · Food safety My 3 kg Yorkie and my 30 kg Lab both ate a bite of plain lobster tail. Is it safe for both? Yes, plain cooked lobster meat is safe for both. For a 3 kg dog, a bite is a bigger portion of her stomach… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog just ate five macadamia nuts and is starting to wobble—what do I do right now? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. Weakness and wobbliness are classic signs of… Cats · Food safety Can a 3 kg cat get gas from eating soaked chia seeds? No, a 3 kg cat is unlikely to get gas from soaked chia seeds. However, if your cat has a sensitive stomach… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat gets a sprinkle of sesame seeds on her wet food every morning — is this a safe daily habit? Yes, a daily sprinkle of plain sesame seeds is safe for a cat. They are not toxic, but they are nutritionally… Cats · Emergency guide Could my cat be exposed to mothball chemicals from old catnip toys or herbal sachets stored with them? Yes, mothball fumes can soak into porous materials like fabric toys or herbal sachets stored in the same box.… Cats · Food safety What happens if I sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder on my cat's wet food every day for a month? Don't do it. Daily cinnamon irritates the mouth and stomach lining, which can lead to chronic vomiting or… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog ate a few bites of cooked celeriac that was left out overnight and now has mold on it — is that safe? No, moldy celeriac is not safe. Mold can produce toxins that cause vomiting, tremors, or even seizures in… Cats · Food safety Is one lick of vanilla ice cream more risky for my 3 kg cat than for a 7 kg cat? Yes, size matters. A tiny cat has less body mass to handle the lactose and sugar, so even one lick is more… Cats · Emergency guide Is half a pseudoephedrine pill more dangerous for my 3 kg cat than for a 6 kg cat? Yes, a smaller cat is at much higher risk. The stimulant dose per kilogram of body weight is doubled, leading… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate a raisin-sized piece of raw bread dough. Is this a small enough amount to be safe? No, even that tiny piece is not safe. Raw dough expands inside the stomach, and the yeast ferments into… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat just ate a small piece of raw spaghetti squash skin and flesh. Is this safe? Yes, it's safe. Raw squash is not toxic, but it's tough and can cause mild stomach upset or a choking hazard.… Cats · Emergency guide My 6 kg cat licked some leftover soup from a bowl I used to melt ice on my driveway. She's drooling a bit now. What do I do? This is an emergency. The soup is contaminated with concentrated de-icing salts, which are caustic and can… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg senior cat with chronic kidney disease snatched a bite of pizza with two anchovies on it. Is the salt content dangerous for her condition? Yes, the salt is a serious concern. Anchovies are extremely salty, and a cat with kidney disease cannot… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg Beagle licked a smear of Voltaren gel off my knee, but my 25 kg Labrador didn't. How do I handle the Beagle and keep the house safe for both? Call your vet now for the Beagle. Even a small smear contains concentrated NSAIDs that can cause kidney… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat just ate one raw gooseberry with leaves, straight from the bush. What should I do in the next hour? First, stay calm. A single raw gooseberry is unlikely to be toxic, but the acidity and leaves might cause… Cats · Food safety For my 5 kg cat, is a teaspoon of onion powder in gravy more dangerous than a teaspoon of chopped fresh onion? Yes, onion powder is far more concentrated and dangerous. A teaspoon of powder contains the toxic compounds… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog just ate an entire 500g tub of plain, unsweetened yogurt. What are the first steps I should take in the next hour? First, check the label to confirm it contains no xylitol or artificial sweeteners, which are the real… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate four macadamia nuts 30 minutes ago. What symptoms should I watch for, and how soon might weakness or wobbliness appear? Watch for weakness, wobbliness, and tremors—these are the classic signs of macadamia nut toxicity. They… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat was treated for atenolol ingestion. What tests will the vet run and how long do I watch him at home? The vet will likely run an ECG to check heart rate and rhythm, plus blood pressure monitoring. They may also…

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