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 How much hand sanitizer is toxic for a 3 kg cat — is one lick from my palm safe, or does any amount matter? For a cat that small, any amount matters. One pump of gel contains about 1-2 mL of pure ethanol, which is a… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.8 kg cat licked a dirty plate I'd used paint thinner on — could she have swallowed some? Yes — that much residue on a plate her size could be dangerous. Paint thinner is a thin, fast-evaporating… Cats · Emergency guide My 4.5 kg cat knocked over mineral spirits while my 10 kg dog stayed in the other room — what do I do for each? This is urgent. Mineral spirits is a petroleum distillate, and inhaling or swallowing even small amounts can… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog lapped up gasoline from under a car 3 hours ago and is now drooling and wobbly — what should I expect after vet treatment? Yes, this is an emergency. Gasoline aspiration can trigger chemical pneumonitis hours later, even if your dog… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3 kg Chihuahua walked on de-icing salt but didn't lick it, while my 30 kg Golden Retriever did — what should I monitor for each? The salt is dangerous for both, but your Chihuahua is at higher risk because of her tiny size. Rinse her paws… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg senior cat has been eating tiny bits of anticoagulant rodenticide from a bait station every day for two weeks — what's the damage? This is a serious situation. Brodifacoum and similar compounds block vitamin K recycling, and daily exposure… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg indoor cat ate two salted pistachios with shells 30 minutes ago — how do I prevent this from happening again? Store all nuts in sealed containers inside closed cabinets, not on open counters where your cat can reach… Cats · Food safety Can a 4.5 kg nursing mother cat safely lick vanilla extract from my baking jar, or is the alcohol dangerous for her kittens? No, it is not safe. Vanilla extract contains about 35% alcohol, and the alcohol passes into her milk. Even a… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg dachshund ate three thin raw radish slices 30 minutes ago and now has gas — should I still be worried? Probably not. Radish is safe for dogs, and gas is a normal response to a new or fibrous food — especially in… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog ate a handful of peanuts left out overnight — could the mould or staleness make him sick? Yes, this is a concern. Old peanuts can develop aflatoxin, a toxin produced by mould that damages the liver.… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg pregnant cat just chewed a 25 mg diphenhydramine tablet. Is this safe for her and the kittens? No, and you should call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line (888-426-4435) immediately. The stimulant… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg cat knocked over a bottle of lighter fluid 45 minutes ago — is this worse for her than if she'd gotten into motor oil instead? Yes, much worse. Lighter fluid is extremely thin and evaporates fast, which means it can easily be inhaled… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog has been getting a half pseudoephedrine tablet every other day for his sniffles for two weeks — what long-term damage am I doing? You are risking severe, cumulative damage. Giving a stimulant like pseudoephedrine repeatedly builds up its… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat got an overdose of his ear drops, and my other 5 kg cat licked his wet ear — is the second cat in danger too? Yes, the second cat is at risk. The medication on the wet fur is concentrated and easily ingested through… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat ate a 5-HTP capsule that expired over a year ago and was left in a hot car — is spoiled supplement more toxic? Yes, the risk is high and unpredictable. Heat and age can break down the supplement, creating unknown… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat chewed one small English ivy leaf — is this toxic to her and her unborn kittens? Yes, it is toxic and poses a risk to both. The saponins in ivy cause gastrointestinal irritation, leading to… Cats · Emergency guide How can I safely store monthly heartworm pills to keep them away from my 4 kg curious cat who opens drawers? Treat them like prescription drugs. Keep the pills in their original child-resistant blister pack inside a… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat drank from the coconut water punch bowl at a backyard party — is a few laps safe for a small cat? A few laps are likely safe, but watch the bowl itself. The real risk isn't the coconut water—it's the other… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog just swallowed a palm-sized piece of watermelon rind — what are the first three things I should do in the next hour? First, check if he's choking—listen for gagging or see if he's pawing at his mouth. If he's breathing fine… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3-month-old, 2 kg puppy ate half a hard dental chew and started gagging 10 minutes later — is this a choking emergency? Yes, treat this as a choking emergency and go to the vet immediately. A sharp piece of a hard chew can lodge… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg senior cat with kidney disease got one paw stuck on a glue trap — does her condition make removal more urgent? Yes, her kidney disease makes this significantly more urgent. The intense stress and pain from being trapped… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with a sensitive stomach ate a few green tomato plant leaves and now has watery diarrhoea — is this just a tummy upset or poisoning? This is likely poisoning, not just a simple upset. The solanine in green tomato leaves is a gut irritant, and… Dogs · Emergency guide My pregnant 12 kg dog ate two mistletoe berries from a holiday wreath — could this cause a miscarriage or harm the puppies? Yes, mistletoe berries are toxic and pose a real risk to a pregnant dog. The toxins can slow her heart rate… Dogs · Food safety My nursing 20 kg dog ate a large portion of plain cooked venison — is this safe for her milk production and the puppies? Yes, plain cooked venison is an excellent, lean protein source for a nursing dog. The extra calories and… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg small cat ate a dollop of ketchup (about a teaspoon) — is the onion powder risk higher for her tiny size? Yes, her small size makes even a teaspoon of ketchup more concerning. The onion powder, salt, and sugar are… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog snatched and ate one small bite of raw, unpeeled plantain from the counter — do I need to rush to the vet? No, one small bite of raw plantain is not an emergency. The raw fruit is starchy and hard to digest, so it… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat just ate a bite of a lotus leaf from my vase. Could this harm her or the kittens? Yes, this needs a call to your vet now. Lotus plants can cause mouth pain and vomiting, which is especially… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog drank a teaspoon of paint thinner from a rag — is that worse than if he licked up some mineral oil? Yes, paint thinner is far more dangerous than mineral oil. Paint thinner is a petroleum distillate, which… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat just came home after the vet treated her for licking kerosene — what should I watch for over the next 48 hours? Watch closely for delayed lung damage. The main risk now is aspiration pneumonia, which can develop 24–48… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog found and ate a piece of an old, mouldy glue trap that was left in the garage for months — what's the danger? The danger is high from both the adhesive and potential mould toxins. Old glue traps often have added…

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