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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 · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate one adult multivitamin gummy with iron 10 minutes ago — is this a toxic dose? Yes, one gummy can be toxic for a small cat. Cats cannot regulate iron absorption, and even a single chewable… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg dog ate two gummy vitamins left on a party platter 30 minutes ago. Is this an emergency? Yes, this is an urgent situation for a small dog. Those two gummies could contain enough iron to damage his… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a 2-inch corn cob piece but my other cat didn't touch it — what do I do with the one that didn't eat it? Focus entirely on the cat that ate the cob — the other cat is not at risk. Corn cob fibre does not break down… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat ate two cooked gummy vitamins with iron that were baked into a muffin — is that less toxic? No, cooking does not make iron gummy vitamins safe. The iron content remains toxic, and pets cannot regulate… Dogs · Emergency guide My 30 kg dog swallowed an entire bottle of adult iron gummy vitamins — is that amount fatal? Yes, that amount is extremely dangerous and can be fatal without rapid treatment. A whole bottle delivers a… Dogs · Emergency guide Only my 25 kg Labrador ate a whole corn cob from the BBQ last night — my other dog is fine. What's the specific risk for the one that ate it? The Labrador is at high risk of a life-threatening intestinal blockage. A whole cob is a large, indigestible… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog just chewed a fresh snake plant leaf and is pawing at his mouth — what are the first three things I should do in the next 30 minutes? First, gently check inside his mouth and remove any visible leaf fragments to stop further irritation.… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat chewed half a snake plant leaf 20 minutes ago — what symptoms should appear first and how long until she's in the clear? The first sign is heavy, ropey drooling starting within 15 minutes of chewing. Pawing at the mouth and… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg terrier snatched one single raw kale leaf off the counter and swallowed it whole — is that tiny amount an emergency? No, one raw kale leaf is not an emergency for a dog that size. Kale is safe in small amounts, though steaming… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a few corn kernels off the floor, but my dog ate the cob. Is the cob more dangerous than the kernels for my cat? Yes, the cob is a far greater danger than the kernels. Kernels may cause mild stomach upset, but the cob's… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog swallowed two chewed-up adult iron gummy vitamins — are the crushed pieces more toxic than whole ones? Yes, chewed gummies are more dangerous because the iron is released faster into the stomach lining. Even two… Cats · Emergency guide Could a small piece of corn cob give my 4 kg cat with a sensitive stomach diarrhea, or is the main risk blockage? The main and immediate risk is a life-threatening intestinal blockage, not diarrhea. That fibrous cob piece… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked one fruit-flavored iron gummy vitamin 10 minutes ago — is just a lick enough to cause poisoning? A single lick is unlikely to deliver a toxic dose of iron, but the sugar coating itself can irritate her… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate some commercial cat treats that list 'garlic powder' in the ingredients — how much hidden garlic is toxic for her size? Any amount of garlic powder in treats is a concern because it's a concentrated form of allium. For a 4 kg… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog ate a sprig of fresh rosemary from the garden that had some white mould on it — is the mould or the rosemary itself dangerous? The mould is the problem, not the rosemary. Fresh rosemary in food amounts is safe for dogs, but mould can… Cats · Emergency guide My 1 kg kitten chewed a fresh snake plant leaf — is this more dangerous for her than for an adult cat? Yes, it's more dangerous. Her tiny size means the same amount of saponins — the soap-like irritants in the… Dogs · Emergency guide Does a 5 kg dog face a higher risk from ethanol poisoning than a 25 kg dog who drank the same amount of beer? Yes, the 5 kg dog is at much higher risk. Ethanol is absorbed quickly, and its effects — like dangerous drops… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog has early kidney disease — can I still give him a few water-packed sardines as an occasional treat? Yes, but you must be extra careful. Drain the sardines very well to remove as much liquid and natural sodium… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat licked a tiny bit of raw Swiss chard juice from my cutting board — should I be worried about bladder stones? No, a single lick is not a concern for bladder stones. The risk from oxalates, which can contribute to… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog ate a slice of pear that had a small spot of mould on it — is this dangerous or will he just get an upset stomach? He'll likely just get an upset stomach, but monitor him closely. Mould can produce mycotoxins that cause… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg dog ate a corn cob, not cornbread. Which is more likely to cause a blockage within hours? The corn cob is the blockage risk. Its compacted fibre doesn't break down, and the hard ridges can snap off… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog just chewed a snake plant leaf. What symptoms should I watch for in the first 3 hours? Heavy drooling often starts within 15 minutes of chewing. Your dog may paw at his mouth repeatedly as if… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog on heart medication was bitten by a spider. Does his condition make the venom more dangerous? Yes, a pre-existing heart condition can complicate a spider bite. Neurotoxic venom from spiders like the… Dogs · Emergency guide Only my 12 kg Labrador ate a laundry pod; my other dog didn't. How do I keep the second dog safe now? Immediately separate the unaffected dog in another room. Check the area thoroughly for any pod fragments… Cats · Emergency guide How can I prevent my 5 kg curious cat from accessing drain cleaner under the kitchen sink? Use a childproof lock on the cabinet door — the simple latch types that require a squeeze to open work well.… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog ate some blood meal fertilizer pellets I left out overnight — are they more dangerous now? Yes, overnight exposure can make it more dangerous. Moisture or dew can cause the pellets to clump and expand… Cats · Emergency guide My 1.5 kg, 12-week-old kitten ate a small piece of cooked chicken bone — is this an emergency for a kitten this small? Yes, this is an emergency. A kitten's intestines are tiny and fragile, so even a small splinter can cause a… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat walked through ice melt and licked her paws — is ice melt worse for her than if she'd licked regular table salt? Yes, ice melt is significantly worse. While both are salts, ice melt often contains calcium chloride, which… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog just ate an entire seasoned seaweed sheet 10 minutes ago — what should I do right now? First, check the ingredient list for onion or garlic powder, which are toxic, and for the sodium content. The… Dogs · Food safety My 2 kg, 10-week-old puppy licked a bit of erythritol sweetener off the counter — is this sugar alcohol safe for a puppy? Erythritol is not toxic like xylitol, but it's not ideal for a puppy. His developing digestive system is…

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