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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 For my 3.5 kg cat with a history of urinary crystals, are a few steamed mustard greens safer or riskier than raw spinach? Steamed mustard greens are the safer choice. Raw spinach contains oxalates, which can contribute to crystal… Dogs · Food safety How can I prevent my 8 kg counter-surfing dog from getting into mustard seeds stored in a glass jar on the kitchen counter? Move the jar to a high, closed cabinet immediately. Glass jars are not dog-proof — a determined… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog ate an entire head of raw endive two hours ago and now has mild gas — what should I watch for during recovery, and how long does monitoring last? Watch for diarrhoea, loss of appetite, or any signs of abdominal pain like a tucked-up belly or reluctance to… Dogs · Emergency guide My 4 kg Yorkie just licked a small smear of raw egg white from a mixing bowl — is this a toxic dose? A single lick like that is not an emergency. It takes repeated, regular feeding of raw egg whites to create a… Dogs · Emergency guide My 35 kg pregnant dog licked a kerosene spill in the garage 15 minutes ago. What should I do for her and her puppies? This is an urgent situation for both the mother and her unborn litter. Kerosene irritates the stomach lining… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with chronic kidney disease ate a silica gel packet—does her condition make it riskier? The main risk isn't toxicity from the silica beads, but a potential intestinal blockage from the plastic… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 4 kg cat ate a 15-gram piece of milk chocolate 2 hours ago—what symptoms should appear first and how long do they last? The first signs, usually within 6-12 hours, are vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, and increased thirst. Milk… Cats · Emergency guide My 6 kg cat on heart medication was stung on the paw by a bee and it's swollen—does her medication change what I should do? The immediate first aid is the same: scrape out any visible stinger with a card and apply a cold compress.… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat snatched a rubbery piece of grilled octopus tentacle from the BBQ buffet—what's the main risk right now? The main immediate risk is choking or a piece getting stuck in her throat, because octopus stays tough and… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a small chunk of raw venison I dropped—what should I watch for over the next 3 days? Venison itself is safe, but raw wild meat can carry bacteria or parasites. Watch for vomiting, diarrhea, or… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat with a sensitive stomach had one bite of cheese pizza and now has diarrhea—is this just a tummy upset? Yes, this is likely a simple upset stomach from the rich fat, dairy, and seasonings in the pizza, not… Cats · Food safety Can my 4 kg cat eat a teaspoon of raw, unshelled hemp seeds, or are only shelled 'hearts' safe? Only the shelled hemp hearts are considered safe for cats in small amounts. The hard outer shell of unshelled… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat has been nibbling rhubarb leaves from the garden daily for a week — will this cause kidney damage? Yes, this is urgent. Rhubarb leaves bind calcium and damage kidneys with repeated exposure — your cat likely… Cats · Emergency guide Can a 3-month-old kitten get a bowel blockage from chewing a corn cob fragment? Yes, absolutely. A kitten's intestine is even narrower than an adult cat's, so even a small corn cob shard… Cats · Emergency guide Is it dangerous for a nursing queen cat to chew multivitamin gummies? Yes, it is dangerous — and riskier than for a healthy adult cat. Many gummy vitamins contain iron, and a… Dogs · Emergency guide How soon after a dog eats a corn cob do blockage symptoms show up? Signs can start within minutes and worsen over hours. Dry heaving or retching often begins right after… Dogs · Emergency guide How do I keep my 20 kg Golden Retriever from chewing my snake plant leaves? Snake plant leaves are rigid and upright — exactly the texture a retriever likes to gnaw on. The saponins… Cats · Emergency guide My cat keeps knocking over my snake plant — how do I prevent her from chewing the leaves? Cats love batting at upright objects, and snake plant leaves are the perfect height and texture for a curious… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg indoor cat just ate a piece of cooked parsnip peel — what should I do first? First, remove any remaining parsnip from where she can reach it and wipe her mouth with a damp cloth to clear… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog is on medication — is eating a few gummy vitamins okay if he weighs 5 kg? No, it's very urgent. Even a few chewed tablets can cause severe bleeding and organ damage. If your dog… Dogs · Emergency guide Are dog dental chews with 'snake plant extract' listed as an ingredient safe for a 10 kg terrier? No, they are not safe. Snake plant contains saponins, which are irritants that cause oral burning and nausea.… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat chewed a decorative snake plant leaf during our Christmas party — she's drooling now. Is this urgent? Yes, this is urgent. The drooling means the saponins in the leaf are burning her mouth and throat right now.… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg pregnant dog ate about 5 adult iron gummy vitamins from the counter — is this more dangerous for her and the puppies? Yes, iron toxicity is extremely dangerous for a pregnant dog. Her body is already under strain, and the iron… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate 2 children's gummy vitamins 3 hours ago and vomited once — what tests will the vet do and how long is recovery? The vet will likely run blood tests to check her iron levels and kidney function, and may take X-rays because… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat just licked a single bite of pan-fried haddock that had butter and a little salt — is that tiny amount a problem? One lick is very unlikely to cause harm. The haddock itself is safe; the concern is the added butter and… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate two small cubes of dragon fruit flesh (no skin) — is the amount safe for her tiny body? Yes, two small cubes of the soft flesh are safe. Dragon fruit is non-toxic, and that tiny amount won't… Cats · Emergency guide How many bites of snake plant can a 3 kg cat safely chew before the saponins start causing serious problems? Any amount of snake plant is risky for a 3 kg cat. A single bite is enough to trigger intense oral burning… Cats · Food safety My 2.5 kg indoor cat ate a few plain tofu cubes off the cutting board — is plain unseasoned tofu safe for a small cat like her? Yes, plain unseasoned tofu in small amounts is safe for a 2.5 kg cat. Tofu is easy to digest and poses no… Cats · Emergency guide My small 4 kg cat just ate a piece of corn cob. Is she in immediate danger? Yes, this is an immediate emergency for a cat that small. The compacted fibre can't be digested and forms a… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3 kg puppy just ate a whole corn cob. He's already gagging. What do I do? This is an emergency. A whole cob will not break down in a small puppy's stomach and can cause a…

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