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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
Dogs · Emergency guide Which common household cleaners or polishes secretly contain petroleum distillates that could poison my 10 kg dog? Many common aerosol cleaners, furniture polishes, and degreasers under the sink contain petroleum distillates… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog licked a bowl of mild salsa at a backyard BBQ — should I be worried about the onion and garlic? A few licks of mild salsa are unlikely to cause immediate poisoning in a dog that size, but it's not… Cats · Food safety Should I buy digestive enzyme supplements for my 5 kg cat that list 'bromelain from pineapple' as an ingredient? Consult your vet before giving any supplement containing bromelain. While the enzyme itself is not toxic, its… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog licked a kerosene spill yesterday and now has watery diarrhea. Is that from the kerosene? Yes, that diarrhea is a direct sign of kerosene irritating his gut. The spill's bitter taste likely made him… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog licked up a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol from the floor an hour ago — what signs of poisoning should I watch for and when? Watch for vomiting, unsteadiness, and lethargy within the next hour. The first signs often appear 30 minutes… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog on heart medication licked a gasoline puddle 30 minutes ago and is now coughing — does his condition make this worse? Yes, his heart condition raises the risk. Gasoline depresses the nervous system and can cause irregular heart… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat chewed on an old, greasy kerosene-soaked rag left in the shed for months — is the fuel more toxic after sitting that long? The toxicity is the same, but the rag itself adds risk. Kerosene doesn't spoil, but it can soak deeper into… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg terrier dug up and swallowed a chunk of cyclamen root two hours ago — what poisoning symptoms should appear by now, and what comes next? By two hours, you should already see intense drooling, pawing at the mouth, and likely vomiting. The root… Dogs · Food safety My 18 kg dog just ate a large portion of coleslaw that contained shredded jicama — is the prepared form in a salad safe for him? Yes, the jicama itself is safe. The risk comes from the other salad ingredients. Coleslaw often contains… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg dog ate two overripe, slightly fermented lychees that were left out on the counter overnight — are mouldy lychees more dangerous than fresh? Yes, mould adds a new risk. The sugar in overripe fruit can cause stomach upset and diarrhoea on its own, but… Cats · Food safety My curious 5 kg cat keeps jumping on the counter to lick soy sauce spills — how can I safely store the bottle and train her to stay away? Store the bottle in a closed cupboard immediately after use — don't leave it on the counter even for a minute… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog loves to scavenge — which common holiday foods or baked goods secretly contain enough cinnamon to be a problem? Watch for pumpkin pie, snickerdoodle cookies, churros, and some spiced apple ciders. The danger isn't a pinch… Cats · Emergency guide My 12-week-old, 2 kg kitten ate a whole cyclamen leaf an hour ago and just vomited. Is this an emergency? Yes, this needs a vet now. A whole leaf can deliver a significant dose of saponins to a tiny kitten, and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog has been licking hand warmer powder off the floor every morning for a week. Is this dangerous? Yes, this repeated exposure is a serious health risk. The sharp, abrasive powder irritates the mouth and gut… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat was bitten on the paw by a small spider and is now vomiting and has diarrhea — is this from the bite? Yes, vomiting and diarrhea can be signs of a systemic reaction to spider venom, especially from a widow or… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8-week-old puppy just chewed halfway through a cyclamen corm he dug up in the garden — is this an emergency even though he only took a bite? Yes, treat this as an emergency. Cyclamen corms contain the highest concentration of toxic saponins in the… Dogs · Emergency guide My pregnant 20 kg Labrador licked a small gasoline puddle 30 minutes ago — does this affect her unborn puppies? Yes, this is an urgent risk for her and the puppies. Gasoline contains benzene and toluene, which damage the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate a powdered electrolyte supplement that looks just like hand warmer contents — could this be dangerous? It depends on the actual ingredients, but assume it's risky until you know. Hand warmer powder contains sharp… Cats · Food safety Is a handful of raw bok choy safe for my 3.5 kg cat, or does her small size mean I should worry? Yes, bok choy is safe for cats of any size, raw or cooked in small pieces. Her small size just means a… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with chronic kidney disease licked kerosene off a rag in the garage — is her condition a bigger problem? Yes, her kidney disease makes this more dangerous. Her kidneys are already compromised and may struggle to… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat ate a few bites of leftover pasta that had hand warmer powder spilled on it — is this an emergency? Yes, treat this as urgent. The fine, abrasive powder can be inhaled during eating or if she vomits, causing… Dogs · Food safety My 8-week-old, 2 kg puppy just licked a tiny bit of plain mashed butternut squash off my plate — is he okay? He's perfectly fine. Plain, cooked butternut squash is safe and gentle on a puppy's stomach. A single lick is… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a single, rind-free piece of cantaloupe I dropped on the floor — should I be worried? No need to worry. Cantaloupe flesh itself is safe for cats in small amounts. One lick is negligible and won't… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog ate some gravy with onion powder last night and now has bad diarrhoea — is this just a sensitive stomach? No, diarrhoea is a sign of onion toxicity, not just a simple upset stomach. Onion powder is concentrated and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog was bitten by a spider yesterday and now has mild diarrhea — is the diarrhea a sign of venom poisoning? Diarrhea is not a typical sign of venom poisoning from a black widow or brown recluse spider. Those spiders… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked gasoline, the vet gave fluids and oxygen, and sent her home — what do I watch for over the next 48 hours? Watch her breathing closely for the next two days. The main threat after gasoline exposure is chemical… Cats · Emergency guide My 2.5 kg cat licked a quarter-sized puddle of isopropyl alcohol — does her tiny size make this more dangerous than for a 10 kg cat? Yes, her small size makes it much more dangerous. Toxicity depends on the dose per kilogram of body weight.… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg dog licked a kerosene spill that's been on the garage floor for a week — does age or spoilage change the risk? No, age does not make kerosene safer. Kerosene does not spoil or become less toxic over time — it remains a… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked a pump of gel hand sanitizer off a guest's plate at a BBQ — what are the first signs and how urgent is this? This is urgent. Ethanol in hand sanitizer is absorbed fast, and a single pump holds enough to cause poisoning… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate a teaspoon of xylitol-free peanut butter 2 hours ago — what signs of salt or fat overload should I watch for and when? Watch for vomiting and diarrhea, which can start within 2 to 6 hours. A teaspoon is a lot for a 3 kg cat …

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