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

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

All pets Dogs Cats

Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat got her front paw stuck on a glue trap for ten minutes. Is this dangerous for her kittens? Yes, this is an urgent situation for both the mother cat and her unborn kittens. The stress and panic of… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 12 kg dog has been getting a piece of nicotine gum as a treat every day for two weeks. What damage has this done? Yes, this is extremely dangerous. Giving nicotine daily builds up the toxin in your dog's system, causing… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg terrier drank half a bucket of standing water left out overnight after playing. Could this cause water intoxication? Yes, that amount of stagnant water poses a real risk of water intoxication, especially for a small dog. The… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog chewed a wilted, yellowing Dieffenbachia leaf that fell off the plant a week ago. Is it still toxic? Yes, a wilted or decaying Dieffenbachia leaf is still highly toxic. The insoluble calcium oxalate crystals… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg senior cat has been sneaking bites of my chicken stew with cooked scallions for months. What long-term damage could this cause? Repeated exposure to scallions, even cooked, is very dangerous and can lead to life-threatening anemia. The… Dogs · Food safety My pregnant 22 kg dog licked up a spoonful of wet coffee grounds from the sink this morning. Is this riskier for her and the puppies? Yes, caffeine poses a heightened risk for a pregnant dog and her developing puppies. It overstimulates both… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog ate about a tablespoon of coconut oil that was left uncovered on the counter for a month. It smells rancid. What should I do? The rancidity is the main concern here. Spoiled fats can cause significant gastrointestinal upset, including… Cats · Emergency guide What's the best way to store kerosene at home to keep my curious 4 kg cat safe? Store kerosene in a locked, high cabinet your cat cannot reach. Never leave it in an open container on the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg young dog licked a plate with gravy that had a crushed fluoroquinolone pill mixed in. What now? This is urgent—call your vet immediately. Even a small amount of this antibiotic in gravy can be absorbed… Dogs · Emergency guide Could my 12 kg dog find rat poison hidden inside a sausage or other processed meat? Yes, some rodenticides are deliberately made to look and smell like meat or cheese to attract rodents—a dog… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg dog ate half a sandwich that had a crushed extended-release ADHD pill in the mayo. He seems fine 20 minutes later. What do I do? Call your vet now—do not wait for signs. The sandwich bread and mayo slow absorption slightly, but… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg nursing dog ate a scoop of dry infant formula powder. Will this hurt her or her puppies? It likely won't harm the puppies through her milk, but it can upset her stomach. The main risk for her is the… Dogs · Food safety My 30 kg dog was treated for eating pistachio shells and is now home. What does recovery look like over the next 48 hours? For the first day, feed only the bland diet your vet recommended—often boiled chicken and rice. Watch his… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat keeps chewing kalanchoe leaves from my plant every week — what's the long-term risk of this repeated exposure? Repeated exposure is extremely dangerous. The cardiac toxins in kalanchoe can build up or cause cumulative… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate a few chrysanthemum petals and now his muzzle is red and itchy — is this an allergic reaction or poisoning? It's likely a skin reaction to the plant's irritating compounds, which is a common sign of chrysanthemum… Dogs · Emergency guide My pregnant 20 kg dog found and swallowed one whole castor bean seed in the garden — is this a risk to her and her unborn puppies? Yes, this is a high-risk emergency for both her and the puppies. Ricin attacks the gut, liver, and kidneys… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked the outside of a laundry pod 30 minutes ago and now seems gassy and uncomfortable — is this just a tummy upset or something worse? This is a poisoning emergency, not simple gas. The concentrated surfactants on the pod's film can cause… Dogs · Food safety My 15 kg dog ate a moldy, overripe persimmon that was left out on the counter overnight — are the mold and the fruit both dangerous? Yes, you have two problems. The persimmon itself can cause gut upset or a blockage, especially the slimy… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog ate about two teaspoons of strawberry jam that was left open and growing mold on top — is the mold the main concern? The mold is a real concern, but the sugar load and potential for xylitol in 'sugar-free' jams are also… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with kidney disease ate two grapes off the floor — is this a vet emergency now? Yes, this is an immediate vet emergency, especially with her kidney history. Grapes are highly toxic to cats… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat was treated for eating moldy compost 24 hours ago — how long should I monitor her at home and what signs mean a relapse? Monitor her closely for at least another 24 to 48 hours. Tremorgenic mycotoxins from mold can cause delayed… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg senior cat licked the corner of a 3 mg melatonin gummy about an hour ago — could even that tiny amount make her wobbly? It's possible, but less likely. A lick may deliver only a fraction of the dose, but cats are very sensitive… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 7 kg dog licked a tiny spill of onion powder off the kitchen floor — is that enough to cause anemia later? A single lick is very unlikely to cause poisoning, but onion powder is highly concentrated. The toxic dose is… Cats · Food safety Can I add a teaspoon of soaked chia seeds to the wet food of my 4 kg cat with early-stage kidney disease? Yes, a small amount of soaked chia seeds is generally safe and can provide extra moisture, which is helpful… Cats · Food safety Is one small, cooked oyster an okay occasional treat for my 5 kg nursing mother cat to help with hydration? Yes, one small, thoroughly cooked oyster occasionally is safe and can offer hydration and zinc. Ensure it's… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog ate two slices of raisin bread and vomited 12 hours later — is that the first sign of poisoning? Yes, vomiting is often the first sign, but it can appear anywhere from a few hours to a full day after… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked a small puddle of paint thinner left in an open can overnight — is the risk higher because it's stale? No, the risk is the same — petroleum distillates don't spoil, they just evaporate. The real danger is that… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg senior cat with stage 2 kidney disease licked garlic butter off a plate — does her condition make it worse? Yes, significantly worse. Garlic damages red blood cells, and kidneys already struggling can't clear the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 6 kg Pomeranian ate a golf ball-sized piece of raw pizza dough — is her small size an emergency? Yes, it's an immediate emergency. In a small dog, that amount of dough can expand to dangerously distend her… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat mouthed a common garden toad, not a cane toad — is the risk of poisoning lower? Yes, common toads are less toxic, but they still secrete bufotoxins that cause drooling, red gums, and…

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