Suspect poisoning? US: ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · UK: 01202 509 000 · Severe symptoms → nearest emergency vet now.
Home / Questions

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.

Prefer to run the tool?

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 Which common household products besides paint thinner contain petroleum distillates that could poison my 2.5 kg cat? Lighter fluid, adhesive removers, some furniture polish, and certain essential oil diffusers can all contain… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg terrier was bitten on the nose by a brown recluse spider while hunting outdoors — should I worry about my other dogs at home? The spider is unlikely to return to your house, so the other dogs aren't at risk from the same bite. What… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat was bitten by what I think is a black widow spider, but could it have been a harmless daddy longlegs instead? The difference between these two spiders changes everything — a black widow bite is a life-threatening… Cats · Emergency guide My 6 kg cat has chewed open a hand warmer every few days for the past three weeks — what long-term damage could this cause? Repeated chewing is cumulative damage. Each time your cat chews through the plastic wrapper, she swallows… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3-month-old puppy just dug up a cyclamen corm and chewed halfway through it — what should I do right now? This is an emergency. The corm packed with toxic saponins is far more dangerous than the leaves, and a pup… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog ate stew made with gasoline-flavoured gravy left out overnight — is he still at risk? Yes, the risk does not disappear overnight. Gasoline contains benzene and toluene, aromatic hydrocarbons that… Cats · Food safety My 4.5 kg cat just stole a bite of cooked plain plantain — what should I check first? No alarm needed. Cooked, plain plantain is safe for cats in small pieces. Check that it was truly plain — no… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog got soft stools and gas after I mixed cottage cheese with honey — is this an allergy or just intolerance? It is most likely lactose intolerance, not a true allergy. Cottage cheese is low in lactose compared with… Cats · Emergency guide My 6 kg cat is pawing at her mouth and drooling after nibbling a cyclamen leaf 20 minutes ago — what do I do right now? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 right away. Remove any remaining leaf… Cats · Emergency guide How can I prevent my 4 kg indoor cat from getting into hand sanitizer left on the bathroom counter? Store hand sanitizer in a closed cabinet or on a high shelf your cat cannot reach — even a 4 kg cat can jump… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg indoor cat jumped on the counter at a housewarming party and ate wheat flour left out in an open bag — is she at risk? Plain cooked wheat is safe for cats, but raw flour is a different situation. Raw wheat flour can contain… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat chewed a cyclamen leaf an hour ago and is now drooling. What signs come next and when? Yes, the drooling means the plant's saponins are irritating her mouth. Vomiting or diarrhea typically starts… Dogs · Emergency guide My 4 kg chihuahua knocked over rubbing alcohol 20 minutes ago and is already wobbling on his paws — what do I do right now? This is an emergency. Rubbing alcohol depresses the central nervous system fast, and ataxia in a 4 kg dog… Dogs · Emergency guide I use paint thinner to clean brushes in my garage every day — my 8 kg terrier has access to the area. Could this daily exposure cause long-term harm? Yes. Even small daily amounts of petroleum distillate can accumulate damage, especially to the lungs and bone… Dogs · Food safety My 11 kg dog has chronic kidney disease — can I still feed him plain baked bass as a treat occasionally? Yes, plain baked bass is one of the safer fish options for a dog with kidney disease. It is lean, low in… Dogs · Food safety My 9 kg beagle swallowed three raw asparagus spears whole while my 3 kg cat watched — should I worry about the cat getting into any pieces? The asparagus itself is not toxic to either species, but raw spears are a choking and blockage hazard… Cats · Emergency guide My senior cat licked gasoline — she's on heart medication. What should I do? Yes, it's urgent. Senior cats on heart medication are at higher risk. Call the vet now. If symptoms like… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked a puddle of isopropyl alcohol — what signs will appear first and how long do they last? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. The first signs are usually vomiting and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg puppy just licked a kerosene spill on the garage floor — is that worse for him than if he'd licked gasoline? Yes, kerosene is actually more dangerous for a puppy than a similar lick of gasoline. Kerosene is thicker and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 4 kg Chihuahua just swallowed a whole hand warmer's worth of powder — is this a high-risk emergency? Yes, this is an urgent situation for a dog that small. The main danger is the abrasive powder causing lung… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I train my 10 kg dog to leave hand sanitizer bottles alone when they're on the bathroom counter? Yes, training "leave it" is crucial because hand sanitizer is toxic. Even a small bottle can contain enough… Cats · Emergency guide Are cat dental treats that list 'ethanol' as a preservative safe for my 5 kg indoor cat? No, treats containing ethanol are not safe for cats. Even tiny amounts of ethanol used as a preservative can… Cats · Emergency guide My 2 kg, 10-week-old kitten licked an isopropyl alcohol wipe I used to clean a surface. Is her tiny body at greater risk? Yes, her small size significantly increases the risk. Isopropyl alcohol is rapidly absorbed and can depress… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat stole a cooked quince slice from the BBQ table and ate it, seeds and all. What should I watch for? Watch for vomiting or diarrhoea, especially because she ate the seeds. The cooked flesh is usually fine in… Cats · Food safety Are cat treats sweetened with agave syrup safe for my 6 kg diabetic cat who vomits easily? No, treats with agave syrup are not a good choice for a diabetic cat. Agave syrup is high in fructose, which… Dogs · Food safety My 5 kg Pomeranian ate three peeled, cooked chestnuts. Is that too many for a small breed dog? Three peeled, cooked chestnuts are likely fine for a 5 kg dog, but watch for signs of a stomach upset.… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog licked a raw lemon slice once and made a sour face. Do I need to worry about the acid? One quick lick is usually not a problem, but watch for excessive drooling or pawing at his mouth. The acids… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat just licked a puddle of gasoline under my car. What does this mean for her kittens? Get her to a vet immediately, even if she seems fine now. Gasoline can damage her lungs if she vomits and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg dog's face is swollen after being outside — is a spider bite worse than a bee sting? Yes, a spider bite is typically far more dangerous than a bee sting for a dog. Bee venom usually causes local… Cats · Emergency guide Could the filling inside my cat's new crinkle toy secretly contain hand warmer powder? It's very unlikely, but you should check the toy's label. Hand warmer powder is a mix of iron, salt, and…

Page 213 of 337

The library keeps growing. Can’t find your situation? Open the matching toxicity calculator and enter weight plus amount for an instant risk level.