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 5 kg cat knocked over a mug of hot chocolate milk and vomited twice within 30 minutes — is this just a sensitive stomach or actual poisoning? This is a poisoning emergency. Chocolate is toxic to cats regardless of amount, and vomiting within 30… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a hazelnut left out overnight — she's vomiting now. Should I worry? It's not safe, but this isn't an emergency. Hazelnuts left out overnight go rancid and absorb moisture — a… Cats · Emergency guide My 2 kg toy breed cat lapped some spilled white wine off the kitchen floor ��� does her tiny size make this an emergency? Yes. For a 2 kg cat, even a few tablespoons of wine deliver a dangerous alcohol dose — her tiny body weight… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg senior cat slipped onto the holiday sideboard and ate a pea-sized piece of anticoagulant rodenticide bait I'd left there — what should I do right now? This is urgent. Brodifacoum blocks vitamin K recycling, and even a single pea-sized piece can trigger… Dogs · Emergency guide My 2 kg Chihuahua licked a patch of organic garden insecticide labeled with organophosphate — how much worse is this for a tiny dog compared to a larger one? Much worse. Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholinesterase, and a 2 kg Chihuahua carries far less body mass to… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat knocked over a bottle of drain cleaner and lapped it up from the sink basin this morning before I noticed — what do I watch for right now? This is an emergency. Drain cleaners contain highly alkaline chemicals that destroy tissue on contact, and a… Dogs · Emergency guide Does any commercial dog treat or supplement quietly contain organophosphate insecticide residues that could harm my 8 kg dog over time? Organophosphate insecticides are not ingredients in dog treats or supplements. However, residue can appear on… Dogs · Food safety My 8-week-old 2.5 kg puppy chewed and swallowed half a cup of chopped leek and chive leaves from my cutting board — what should I expect and do? This is serious for a puppy that small. Leeks and chives belong to the same toxic family as onions and garlic… Dogs · Food safety My 9 kg dog has chronic kidney disease and is on medication — can I still give him raw green bell pepper slices as a treat? Yes, bell peppers are safe for dogs with kidney disease. All colors — red, yellow, green — are non-toxic and… Cats · Food safety Is olive oil safer for my 4 kg cat than vegetable or canola cooking oil — and does she get the same benefits? Olive oil is safer than most cooking oils for cats, and it is not the same as vegetable or canola oil. Olive… Cats · Emergency guide One of my three cats bit open a laundry detergent pod yesterday — she's 3 kg and drooling — my other two cats are fine. Should I still worry about the others? The cat who ate the pod is in real danger and needs emergency care now. Laundry detergent pods contain… Cats · Emergency guide My cat has been exposed to organophosphate insecticide weekly for a month. What will happen? Yes, this is a serious and cumulative poisoning risk. Each exposure allows more toxin to build up in your… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog ate a new beef chew that lists anticoagulant rodenticide. He's a 12 kg terrier and had about half of it. Is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency — call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 now. These baits… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg Labrador ate some leftover chicken soup that had a splash of drain cleaner in it about an hour ago — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Drain cleaner is caustic and causes immediate chemical burns to the mouth, throat… Dogs · Emergency guide What happens if my 15 kg dog is exposed to organophosphate insecticide on his fur every week for a month? Repeated exposure is dangerous and can lead to a toxic buildup. Organophosphates inhibit a key enzyme, and… Cats · Emergency guide How much anticoagulant rat poison is dangerous for a 4 kg cat — is a pea-sized amount toxic? Yes, a pea-sized amount is toxic and can cause fatal internal bleeding. These baits are concentrated, and… Cats · Emergency guide Only one of my three cats licked drain cleaner off the floor — my 5 kg cat did, but the other two didn't. What do I do for the exposed cat and the household? Treat the exposed cat as an emergency. Drain cleaner causes rapid tissue damage, so she needs a vet now. Do… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat chewed a piece off her new flea collar that contains organophosphate — is this a hidden source of poisoning? Yes, flea collars can be a hidden source. Organophosphate insecticides are absorbed through the skin and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg dog snatched and ate a whole rat poison bait block from under the grill at a backyard BBQ — what's the immediate risk? The immediate risk is severe, internal bleeding that may not show for days. A whole bait block is a massive… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog had a vomiting episode yesterday, and the vet said to feed bland food. Can I give him a few slices of peeled cucumber today? Yes, a few slices of peeled cucumber are safe and hydrating for a recovering stomach. Cucumber is low in… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog ate about 20 ripe mulberries and had mild diarrhoea. The vet saw him — what should I expect during the monitoring period at home? Expect to watch his stool and energy closely for the next 24-48 hours. Mild diarrhoea from overindulging in… Dogs · Food safety Is it safe for my 10 kg pregnant dog in her third trimester to eat a handful of washed blackberries as a treat? Yes, a handful of washed blackberries is safe for a pregnant dog. They are low in calories and provide… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg adult cat loves the new chicken treats with turmeric powder — are these safe for daily use? Yes, turmeric in commercial cat treats is safe for daily use. A small pinch is the typical amount in… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg terrier licked some powdered drain cleaner off the floor 10 minutes ago, my other dog didn't. What do I do for the one that did? This is an emergency. The powder sticks to the tongue and gums, causing immediate chemical burns. Gently… Cats · Emergency guide My cat licked a few licks of chicken gravy that had organophosphate insecticide in it an hour ago, now she's drooling. What do I do? Yes, this is an urgent poisoning. The drooling means the insecticide is already affecting her nerves. Wipe… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked some thick gel off the floor — is drain cleaner worse than dish soap if she swallowed it? Yes, drain cleaner is far more dangerous. Dish soap might cause mild drooling or a single vomit, but alkaline… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg dachshund ate a tiny crumb of rat poison, maybe a gram, about an hour ago. Is that too much? Yes, that's too much. Anticoagulant rodenticide is dosed to kill a rodent, so even a gram can be toxic for a… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog ate a piece of beef jerky that might have organophosphate residue — what signs should I watch for in the next hour? Yes, this is an urgent risk. Organophosphates are potent nerve toxins, and even residue from a single piece… Cats · Emergency guide My 10 lb indoor cat just ate a raw piece of mouse bait the size of a dime. What do I do? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. The raw bait is just as toxic as the dry form… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog licked boric acid powder off a raw rawhide chew — is this an emergency? Yes, call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) now. The powder is corrosive and sticks to wet…

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