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

Dogs · Toxicity calculator Only my 6 kg terrier ate three blue slug bait pellets from the garden — my 25 kg Labrador didn't touch them. How do I handle the other dog and the house now? Your terrier is at urgent risk. Metaldehyde causes seizures that can start within 30 minutes, and a small… Cats · Emergency guide Are cat dental chews that list 'sodium hydroxide' as a cleaning agent safe for my 4 kg adult cat with healthy teeth? No, do not give these to your cat. Sodium hydroxide is the main corrosive chemical in many drain cleaners… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg Chihuahua and my 30 kg German Shepherd both took one bite from the same snake plant leaf — is the risk the same for both dogs? No, the risk is much higher for your Chihuahua. The saponins in snake plant cause a local burn and nausea… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked a single Easter lily petal that fell on the floor — is this a 'wait and see' situation or an immediate emergency? This is an immediate emergency for cats. Lily pollen, petals, leaves, and even the water in the vase can… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a few small pieces of cooked rutabaga from my beef stew that also had onions and garlic — is she safe? The rutabaga itself is safe, but the onions and garlic are the real problem. Allium plants like these damage… Dogs · Food safety Is a half-cup of plain cooked zucchini safe as a daily snack for my 3 kg Yorkie, and how does that compare to giving the same amount to my 20 kg Beagle? A half-cup is far too much for a 3 kg dog daily—it's a large volume that can fill her up and cause diarrhea… Cats · Food safety Can I feed water-packed, no-salt sardines to my 5 kg pregnant cat in her last trimester to boost her omega-3, and how much is safe per week? Yes, a small amount is safe and can be beneficial. Drain the sardines thoroughly to remove excess sodium from… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 3 kg indoor cat licked the outside of a 5000 IU vitamin D3 gel cap — is even that tiny amount dangerous? Yes, it is dangerous. Even a single lick on a 5000 IU capsule can deliver enough cholecalciferol to raise a 3… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg indoor cat was treated for organophosphate insecticide poisoning — how long do I need to monitor her at home? Keep a close eye on her for at least 24 to 48 hours after discharge. Organophosphates attack the nervous… Dogs · Emergency guide My 2.5 kg Yorkshire terrier chewed a phenol antiseptic wipe from my first aid kit — is her tiny size making this more dangerous? Yes, her size makes every milligram of phenol much more concentrated in her system. A full-size wipe designed… Dogs · Emergency guide Is it harmful to give my 12 kg terrier a few tablespoons of beer every evening for a month? Yes, that's harmful. Regular ethanol exposure builds up in a dog's system and can cause cumulative damage to… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg puppy licked the wrapper of a single piece of sugar-free gum with sorbitol — is that a vet emergency? No, a lick from a wrapper is not an emergency. The real risk comes from ingesting the actual gum, where the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog ate two 3 mg melatonin gummies from the bottle — are gummies more dangerous than tablets? The danger is similar, but gummies pose an extra risk. The chewy, sweet form makes dogs more likely to eat… Dogs · Food safety Will a teaspoon of ground flaxseed mixed into dinner cause gas and bloating in my 9 kg dog tonight? It might, especially if he's not used to high-fibre additions. The fibre in flaxseed draws water into the… Cats · Food safety Could a pinch of mild paprika in gravy cause my 5 kg cat to have itchy skin or a rash later? It's unlikely to cause a skin reaction, but it could upset her stomach. True food allergies in cats are rare… Cats · Emergency guide How can I keep my 3 kg indoor cat from chewing on the azalea plant on my balcony? You need to keep the plant completely out of reach. A single leaf weighing just 6 grams is enough to poison a… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat got into the garden compost pile — could rhubarb leaves hidden in there be a risk? Yes, rhubarb leaves in compost are a serious risk. The oxalate crystals in the leaves bind calcium and can… Cats · Emergency guide Is an overdose of ear infection drops more dangerous for my 4 kg cat than swallowing a regular antibiotic pill? Yes, an ear medication overdose is often more dangerous. Many ear drops contain potent antibiotics like… Cats · Food safety Can my 2 kg, 12-week-old kitten have a lick of my plain whey protein powder? No, it's not recommended. Kittens have developing digestive systems and are more sensitive to dietary… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger and the vet gave supportive care — what should I watch for at home over the next 48 hours? Watch for continued vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. While ginger is generally safe, a large piece… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat was treated at the vet for chewing an English ivy leaf yesterday — what should I watch for at home over the next 24 hours? Watch for any return of vomiting, diarrhoea, or drooling. The vet likely gave anti-nausea medication, but… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked oven cleaner foam off the floor 10 minutes ago — how do I keep my other two cats safe while I handle her? Immediately put your other cats in a separate room with the door closed. The chemical residue on her fur or… Dogs · Emergency guide Are any commercial dog joint supplements or chews that list 'hydrocarbons' or 'petroleum distillates' in the ingredients safe for my 12 kg terrier? No, those ingredients are not safe and indicate a contaminated or mislabeled product. Hydrocarbons like… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg indoor cat only took one quick lick from a garden sprinkler puddle — is that enough to cause water intoxication? No, a single lick is extremely unlikely to cause water intoxication. The danger comes from consuming a large… Cats · Emergency guide Is a small dried oleander leaf that blew onto my balcony more or less toxic than a fresh green leaf for my 4 kg cat? Dried oleander leaves are just as toxic as fresh ones — the cardiac glycosides remain potent for a long time.… Dogs · Food safety I've been adding a teaspoon of chopped chives to my 8 kg dog's scrambled eggs every morning for weeks — could this cause anaemia? Yes, that repeated small amount is enough to cause damage over time. Chives, like onions and garlic, contain… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate a few slices of raw fennel bulb from my salad, but my other cat didn't touch it — is the fennel safe and do I need to check the other cat? Yes, plain raw fennel bulb is safe for cats in small amounts, so the cat that ate it should be fine. You… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat with a sensitive stomach ate two plain almonds yesterday and now has gas and soft stools — is this an allergy or just indigestion? This is most likely indigestion, not a true allergy. Almonds are hard for cats to digest due to their high… Dogs · Emergency guide Can my 10 kg dog safely eat birth control pills that have been sitting on the counter for two days, then swept up off the kitchen floor? No, cooked or sitting-out pills are not a safer form. Birth control tablets still contain active oestrogen… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg Persian cat just licked a wet spot where I applied dog flea treatment 10 minutes ago — what signs should I watch for over the next hour? Watch for drooling, vomiting, trembling, and wobbly walking — these can start within minutes of licking…

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The library keeps growing. Can’t find your situation? Open the matching toxicity calculator and enter weight plus amount for an instant risk level.