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 cat licked some old, separated hand sanitizer left out and is now wobbly. What do I do? Call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line (888-426-4435) now. The ethanol is toxic regardless of age or… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg indoor cat has been bitten by spiders three times this month — what happens if this keeps occurring over weeks? No, that is not a safe pattern. Each bite delivers neurotoxic and necrotic venom — black widow venom disrupts… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg golden retriever licked the foil tip of a hand warmer — is that enough to cause harm? Yes, even a lick matters. The plastic wrapper and the iron-charcoal powder inside are both hazardous — fine… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat knocked over an open can of paint thinner and sniffed it for about two minutes — what signs should I watch for and when? This is an emergency-level situation for a 5 kg cat. Paint thinner is a lightweight petroleum distillate … Dogs · Emergency guide My 40 kg Great Dane was bitten by a brown recluse spider on the nose — does his large size make this any less dangerous? Size helps a little, but a bite on the nose is still serious for any dog. Brown recluse venom destroys tissue… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg cocker spaniel chewed three isopropyl alcohol wipes during a birthday party — could guests have accidentally left them within reach? Yes, wiped containers are easy to miss at a party. Isopropyl alcohol hits hard and fast — vomiting and… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg shih tzu ate two bites of durian flesh about two hours ago and is now vomiting — what should I expect over the next few hours? Vomiting within two hours fits the pattern for durian in a small dog. Durian is very high in fat and sugar… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat just ate half a leaf from my cyclamen plant. Is that a toxic amount? Yes, call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. Even a small nibble can cause immediate… Cats · Food safety My 4.5 kg cat has eaten three cooked peeled chestnuts every day for the past three weeks — is this going to cause a problem long-term? No, a few cooked chestnuts daily won't damage your cat. They are actually lower in fat than most other nuts.… Cats · Food safety My 2 kg miniature breed cat ate a few bites of green tomato from my garden — is she at higher risk than my 7 kg cat? Yes. The solanine in green tomato leaves and unripe fruit is weight-dependent — a 2 kg cat absorbs far more… Dogs · Food safety My 4 kg chihuahua just nibbled some cooked lotus root from my plate — what should I do right now? She's fine. Lotus root itself is safe for dogs — cooked, plain, sliced thin. Check the plate. The only thing… Cats · Emergency guide How much rubbing alcohol can a 4 kg indoor cat safely lick from a bottle cap spill before it becomes dangerous? No, any amount is dangerous for a 4 kg cat. Isopropyl alcohol depresses the central nervous system and is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg golden retriever dug up a cyclamen corm at a family BBQ and chewed on it — what should I do right now? Remove any plant bits from his mouth straight away. The corms hold the strongest saponins, and chewing… Cats · Emergency guide Which common household spiders is a 4 kg indoor cat most likely to encounter, and what hidden corners should I check? The usual suspects are black widows hiding under furniture and in dark storage boxes, and brown recluses… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat drank milk from a bowl that was sitting next to a leaking kerosene container in the garage — is this an emergency? Yes, treat this as an emergency. Kerosene is a mid-range petroleum distillate that clings to the stomach… Cats · Food safety Is one tablespoon of cooked mussel meat safe for a 4 kg adult cat as an occasional treat, and how often is too often? One tablespoon of cooked, shell-free mussel meat is generally safe as an occasional treat for a 4 kg cat. The… Dogs · Food safety How do I keep my 12 kg dog from stealing slices of deli meat left out on the kitchen counter during holiday meals? Store deli meat in sealed containers on high shelves or inside closed cabinets rather than leaving slices… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg senior cat licked the inside of a yogurt bowl that had a thin layer of plain, unflavored kefir on it — should I be worried? A thin smear of plain, unflavored kefir on a yogurt bowl is unlikely to cause serious harm in a 4 kg senior… Dogs · Food safety Is it safe to feed my 10 kg dog cooked quail meat every day as a long-term treat, and what signs should I monitor? Cooked quail meat is safe for a 10 kg dog, but feeding it every day is not ideal long term. Quail is lean and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg terrier got into some paint thinner two hours ago and is now coughing. What signs mean it's serious? Yes, this is an emergency — call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. Paint thinner is a… Cats · Emergency guide My 8-week-old kitten licked a small puddle of paint thinner off the floor. What should I do? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) now. Even a tiny amount of this thin liquid can cause… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg terrier dug up and chewed half a cyclamen corm — is that enough to be toxic? Yes, half a corm is enough to be toxic for a small dog. The roots contain the highest concentration of… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog licked hand sanitizer that was left out for months and now he's vomiting — is the old gel more dangerous? No, age doesn’t make it more toxic — the ethanol is still there and just as dangerous. Vomiting is the first… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg lab just tore open a hand warmer and swallowed some powder — what do I do in the next 30 minutes? First, call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 right now. Do not induce vomiting — the fine… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg beagle licked about two tablespoons of 70% isopropyl alcohol off the floor — is that a dangerous amount? Yes, two tablespoons is a dangerous amount for a dog that size. Isopropyl alcohol depresses the nervous… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg indoor cat nibbled a raw cyclamen leaf — are the leaves less toxic than the roots if she doesn't eat the bulb? No, all parts of the plant are toxic, but the roots are more concentrated. The leaves still contain saponins… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked her paws after I cleaned a wound with an isopropyl alcohol wipe — is the raw alcohol on her fur worse than drinking it? No, licking it off her fur is essentially the same as drinking it — the alcohol is still ingested. Cats groom… Cats · Food safety My 2 kg kitten licked a spoon of whipped cream — is the pancreatitis risk higher for her than for my 6 kg adult cat? Yes, the risk is higher for the kitten. A tiny body has less capacity to handle a sudden fat load, and a… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat stole a piece of raw coconut meat — is the raw flesh safer than toasted or sweetened coconut? Raw, plain coconut meat in a small piece is the safest form — it’s just fibre and fat without added sugars or… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg senior cat with kidney disease licked a teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread — does her condition make it more urgent? Yes, her kidney disease makes this more urgent. The theobromine in chocolate is processed by the kidneys, and…

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