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 6 kg cat gets a small cube of cheddar cheese every day — will this cause long-term diarrhea or other problems? Yes, daily cheese can cause ongoing soft stools or intermittent diarrhea. Most cats are lactose-intolerant… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog was bitten by a brown recluse spider last month — what long-term damage should I watch for if the bite wasn't treated with antivenom? Even a month later, tissue damage from a brown recluse bite can continue slowly. The necrotic venom destroys… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat chewed a hand warmer 30 min ago, what symptoms should I watch for? Immediate signs: gagging or retching. Within 10-30 min: coughing fits. 1-2 hours: vomiting foam. Watch for 24… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with kidney disease licked a pea-sized drop of hand sanitizer off my hand — is this riskier for her? Yes, a cat with kidney disease is at higher risk from even a small amount of hand sanitizer. Ethanol is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog chewed an old kerosene-soaked rag in the garage — what other hidden sources of kerosene should I check for? Check for open containers of lamp oil, old fuel cans with residue, and any rags stored near lawn equipment.… Dogs · Emergency guide Is licking a few isopropyl alcohol wipes worse for a 10 kg dog than drinking the same amount of liquid from a spill? The liquid spill is typically more dangerous because a dog can ingest a larger volume quickly. However, the… Dogs · Emergency guide Could store-bought dog treats or supplements secretly contain spider venom or related toxins? No, commercial dog treats and supplements do not contain spider venom. The risk comes from actual spider… Cats · Emergency guide My 12-week-old kitten chewed a hand warmer and inhaled some powder — is this more serious for a kitten? Yes, this is much more serious for a kitten. Their airways are tiny, so even a small amount of inhaled powder… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat with heart disease ate two small pieces of pitted apricot flesh — is this safe given her condition? The apricot flesh itself is low risk, but her heart condition changes the calculation. The natural sugars… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg dog ate a muffin containing corn syrup — is the baked form safer than raw syrup for dogs? No, baking does not make corn syrup safer — it's the same concentrated sugar. The real danger in a muffin… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat just licked a tiny drop of corn syrup off a spoon — is one lick an emergency? One lick is not an emergency for a healthy 3 kg cat. The main concern with corn syrup is the concentrated… Cats · Emergency guide My cat licked a small drop of motor oil off her paw. Is that as dangerous as if she'd licked gasoline? No, but both require immediate action. Motor oil is a thick petroleum distillate that can cause vomiting or… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a teaspoon of spilled beer. What symptoms start first and how long after? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) now. Alcohol and hops are both toxic to cats, and even… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a spider that was in some leftover chili that sat out overnight — is that dangerous? Yes, it is dangerous. Black widow and brown recluse spiders inject potent venom that destroys tissue and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg puppy dug up and chewed a raw cyclamen root with dirt on it — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. The roots contain the highest concentration of toxic saponins, which cause intense… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg dog licked a small gasoline puddle, but is diesel fuel worse for a large breed like him? Gasoline is more immediately dangerous than diesel. Gasoline contains benzene and toluene, which are rapidly… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg senior cat licked an isopropyl alcohol wipe just once — is that tiny amount risky for an older cat? Yes, even a tiny lick is risky, especially for an older cat. Isopropyl alcohol depresses the central nervous… Dogs · Food safety Is it safe to give my 7 kg dog a tablespoon of plain canned pumpkin every day for months to help with constipation? Yes, that small daily amount is generally safe and useful. Plain canned pumpkin is high in fibre and… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog ate two scrambled eggs cooked with butter and a pinch of salt — is this preparation form okay? Cooked eggs are safe, but butter and salt add risk. The eggs themselves are a great protein source. However… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3-month-old puppy just lapped up a few drops of paint thinner from a rag. What do I do? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. A puppy's small size and developing lungs make… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg pregnant cat licked a quarter-sized blob of gel hand sanitizer off the counter 20 minutes ago. Is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency for both her and her unborn kittens. That amount of ethanol is absorbed fast and… Dogs · Food safety My 12 lb puppy just chewed 8 redcurrants off the bush — what should I do right now? Right now, nothing urgent — redcurrants are safe for dogs and a few berries won't harm your puppy. Remove any… Cats · Food safety My 7-year-old cat has a sensitive stomach, and a supplement treat with passion fruit caused vomiting — should I still buy it? Stop giving it. A teaspoon of plain passion fruit pulp is fine for cats, but that supplement isn't just pulp… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg indoor cat had one tiny lick of a cyclamen leaf — do I need to rush to the vet? Yes, act now. Cyclamen roots contain the highest concentration of toxic saponins, and even a small nibble… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg Siamese cat keeps stealing raw cabbage from my salad bowl — is raw cabbage safer or riskier than cooked for her? Raw cabbage is fine in small amounts for cats. Both raw and cooked cabbage are safe — the main issue is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 18 kg dog with kidney disease licked a pump of hand sanitizer off my hand 20 minutes ago. Is this an emergency? Yes, call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line (888-426-4435) now. Ethanol is processed by the liver and… Cats · Emergency guide One of my three cats licked kerosene off the garage floor 15 minutes ago and is now drooling. The other two cats didn't touch it — what do I do? Yes, this is an emergency. Get the exposed cat to a vet now and call ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435 for… Cats · Emergency guide Could a cat get diarrhoea and a sensitive stomach from licking a tiny drop of gasoline? Yes, a cat can get diarrhoea and stomach upset from licking gasoline, but that's the least of the worries.… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat sniffed paint thinner for a minute — does her small size make the poisoning worse? Yes, a small cat's size makes exposure to petroleum distillates like paint thinner more dangerous. Their… Dogs · Emergency guide My 30 kg dog ate food from a bowl that had kerosene residue in it — is that as dangerous as drinking it straight? Yes, kerosene residue mixed with food is just as dangerous. The fuel still irritates the gastrointestinal…

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