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

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

All pets Dogs Cats

Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate half a hand warmer's powder 30 minutes ago and is gagging. My other dog didn't eat any — do I need to separate them? Yes, separate them immediately. The gagging dog may vomit up a grey foamy mess, and you don't want the other… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat just vomited twice and seems wobbly after eating raw egg whites an hour ago — what do I do right now? This needs immediate attention. Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 or your vet right… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog ate half my pasta sauce while I was cooking — I keep a tin of naphthalene mothballs on the kitchen shelf. What should I do right now? This is an emergency — go to the vet now. Naphthalene damages red blood cells and can cause liver failure… Cats · Emergency guide Can I buy cat treats with tulip bulb extract for my 5 kg senior cat with arthritis? No, absolutely not. Tulip bulbs contain toxins that are concentrated in any extract form, and a cat's small… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 12 kg dog ate a raw onion peel and a few outer layers I dropped while cooking. Is that dangerous? Yes, raw onion peel is toxic. The outer layers and skin contain the same organosulfur compounds as the onion… Cats · Emergency guide My pregnant 4 kg cat licked a castor bean oil capsule off the counter. Does this risk her and the unborn kittens? Yes, this is an urgent risk to both the queen and her litter. The ricin toxin in castor beans is extremely… Dogs · Emergency guide Is it worth training my curious 6 kg terrier to 'leave it' for a sealed gasoline can in the garage? Yes, training 'leave it' is crucial, but it's not a substitute for safe storage. Gasoline fumes alone can… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat gave one curious lick to a dried foxglove leaf in a bouquet. Should I panic? Yes, treat this as an emergency. Dried foxglove leaves retain their potent cardiac toxins, and a single lick… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat loves steamed cauliflower and gets a few small pieces every other day. Will this cause long-term gas or bloating? A few small pieces every couple of days is generally fine and unlikely to cause chronic issues. The key is… Dogs · Food safety Does a 5 kg Chihuahua face more risk from licking garlic hummus than a 30 kg Labrador? Yes, the small dog is at much greater risk. The toxic compounds in garlic are dose-dependent, meaning the… Dogs · Food safety Can my 20 kg pregnant dog have a small piece of plain bread as an occasional treat, or should I avoid all extras? A small piece of plain bread as a rare treat is safe, but it offers no nutritional benefit for her or the… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I train my 12 kg dog to leave a tube of zinc oxide diaper cream alone after he already sniffed it once? Training 'leave it' is essential, but first store the tube somewhere he absolutely cannot reach — like a… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog with kidney disease ate some moldy scraps from the compost bin 2 hours ago and is now wobbly — is this worse for him? Yes, his kidney disease makes this much worse. The tremors and wobbliness are likely from tremorgenic… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked a cane toad in the yard and is drooling, but my other two cats didn't touch it — how do I handle the household now? Get the affected cat to the vet immediately — wipe her gums repeatedly with a damp cloth for 10 minutes on… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat with a heart condition ate about 5 fertilizer pellets from a bag — does this risk her heart more? Yes, her heart condition significantly increases the risk. Many fertilizers contain organophosphates that… Dogs · Food safety How much fresh dill can my 8 kg dog safely eat at one time without getting an upset stomach? A few sprigs mixed into his meal are fine. Dill is safe, but like any new food, too much at once can cause… Cats · Emergency guide My 2.5 kg, 10-week-old kitten chewed a bright green potato sprout an hour ago and is now vomiting — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Green potato sprouts contain solanine, a toxin that acts like a natural pesticide… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg, 12-week-old puppy just gnawed the tip off a snake plant leaf — is a young dog more at risk from the saponins? Yes. Puppies are more vulnerable because they are smaller and their organs are still maturing, so a given… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat just licked the wet spot where I applied dog flea treatment to my 18 kg Labrador 15 minutes ago — is the liquid worse than a dried residue? Yes, the wet liquid is worse. Dog flea treatments contain permethrins, which are highly toxic to cats, and… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg domestic shorthair stole raisins from a bowl of sugary breakfast cereal while my 6 kg cat stayed away — how do I monitor just the one who ate them? Monitor the 4 kg cat closely for the next 24 hours. Watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, or loss of… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a seasoned sushi seaweed sheet 30 minutes ago — when do symptoms of too much salt and iodine show, and how long do they last? Signs usually appear within a few hours and can include excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhoea, and… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat ate three fresh sage leaves from my kitchen herb pot yesterday — what should I monitor over the next 48 hours? A pinch of fresh sage is safe for cats, so serious illness is unlikely, but you should still watch her for… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg cat with a sensitive stomach ate two bites of plain cooked sweet potato — what signs of intolerance should I watch for? Watch for loose stools, diarrhoea, gas, or vomiting over the next 24 hours. Sweet potato is safe for cats in… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a small piece of mouldy chive that was left on the kitchen counter overnight — is the mould or the chive more dangerous? Both are dangerous, but the chive itself is the greater immediate threat. Allium plants like chives damage… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog just ate a dead bee that was left on the patio overnight — could the decaying venom still cause an allergic reaction? Yes, the venom remains active even in a dead bee. Proteins in the sting break down slowly, so swallowing it… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier licked one kids' gummy vitamin off the floor — he didn't chew it. Is that tiny amount still an emergency for a small dog? A single lick is very low risk, but you need to check the label. If it was an iron-containing gummy, even a… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked a bit of paracetamol powder from a guest's discarded plate after a party — how urgent is this, and what's the first sign I'll see? Extremely urgent. Cats lack the enzyme to process paracetamol, and even a tiny amount of powder can be fatal.… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog with stage 2 kidney disease ate a few leaves of plain arugula from my salad — is this safe for his condition? Yes, a few plain leaves are safe. Arugula is low in phosphorus and oxalates, which are the main concerns for… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat just licked some white craft glue that was mixed into a leftover pasta sauce — is this an emergency? It depends on the glue type. White craft glue is usually low risk, but it can still cause vomiting if a… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg indoor cat chewed two raw yew needles from a holiday wreath an hour ago and seems fine. Should I still call the vet? Yes, call immediately. Yew contains taxine alkaloids that affect the heart and nervous system, and signs like…

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