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

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Cats · Emergency guide My 4.5 kg cat ate a piece of a 'dental health' cat treat that feels like hard rawhide — could it cause a blockage? Yes, it could. Many dental treats are designed to be chewy or hard, and a piece can swell in the stomach or… Dogs · Food safety Can my 12 kg dog eat a few small pieces of raw cantaloupe, or does it need to be cooked? Raw is fine, and actually better — cooking just makes it mushy and less appealing. The key is to remove all… Cats · Food safety Only one of my three cats got into the plain, cooked salmon I was prepping for their meal — do I need to treat them all? No, just watch the one that ate it. Plain, cooked, boneless salmon is safe, so the main risk is a mild… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg puppy grabbed and swallowed one small, raw parsnip chunk from the cutting board — is this an emergency? No, it's not an emergency. One small piece of raw parsnip is unlikely to cause harm, though cooked is easier… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog with early kidney disease ate a 2-inch piece of corn cob 30 minutes ago. What do I do? Yes, this is a high-risk emergency — the kidney disease doesn't change the immediate need for a vet. That… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked ear cleaning solution spilled on the holiday buffet table and is now drooling — what's the risk? Yes, this is an urgent risk. Ingredients like acetic acid or alcohol in ear cleaners are corrosive and cause… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog ate a lotus leaf, the vet gave fluids, and he's home now — what does recovery look like over the next week? Recovery means watching for a return to normal eating and no vomiting. The leaf can cause lingering stomach… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 10 kg dog licked a 2000 IU vitamin D3 chewable pill but didn't swallow it — is that tiny amount an emergency? Yes, call your vet now. Vitamin D3 is potent, and even the residue from a lick can be a problem for a 10 kg… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg dog ate 3 iron gummy vitamins 4 hours ago — when will the first signs of poisoning appear, and what should I look for? The first signs often appear within 2 to 6 hours. Watch for vomiting that may look like dark coffee grounds… Dogs · Emergency guide Only my 12 kg Labrador ate 2 prenatal vitamins off the floor — my other 8 kg dog didn't touch them. How do I handle them both now? Focus on the Labrador first — this is urgent. Two prenatal vitamins can deliver a toxic iron dose for a 12 kg… Cats · Emergency guide One of my two 4 kg cats licked an isopropyl alcohol spill on the counter and is now wobbly — the other cat seems fine. What's the plan for both? The wobbly cat needs a vet immediately. Isopropyl alcohol depresses the nervous system fast, and… Dogs · Food safety How much fresh coconut meat can my 30 kg dog safely eat before the high fat content causes diarrhea or pancreatitis? A few small pieces, about a tablespoon total, is a safe occasional treat for a dog that size. The rich fat in… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg dog ate one 0.5 mg alprazolam pill — is a small dog at higher risk than a large one? Yes, a small dog is at much higher risk. The same pill contains a much larger dose per kilogram of body… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog licked a spot of cat flea treatment off his fur — what signs should I watch for and how soon? Watch for drooling, vomiting, and muscle tremors, which can start within an hour. Cat formulas often contain… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat ate something toxic — should I call poison control for her and the unborn kittens? Yes, call poison control or your vet immediately. Toxins can cross the placenta and affect the developing… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat ate a pea-sized amount of xylitol pet toothpaste — when will signs of poisoning appear? Signs like vomiting, weakness, and stumbling can appear within 30 minutes to a few hours. While cats are less… Cats · Food safety Can my 3.5 kg pregnant cat safely eat a few fresh basil leaves from my garden? Yes, a few fresh basil leaves are safe for a pregnant cat. The plant itself is non-toxic, and the small… Cats · Emergency guide My 1-year-old cat keeps trying to chew my peace lily — is 'leave it' training effective, or should I just move the plant? Yes, train 'leave it' but also move the plant. The immediate mouth pain from the crystals makes a cat… Cats · Emergency guide My 4.5 kg cat finished a bowl of soup I made with rhubarb leaves two hours ago and has vomited twice — should I worry about her kidneys? Yes — seek veterinary care now. The leaves contain water-soluble calcium oxalate crystals, which bind calcium… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog dug up and ate a mouldy green potato from the compost heap that was left out overnight — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. The green skin and sprouts of a mouldy, spoiled potato concentrate solanine, a… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked some cocoa mulch — is that more dangerous for her than if she'd gotten into a bit of baking cocoa powder? Yes, cocoa mulch is often more dangerous for a cat. While both contain theobromine, cocoa mulch is ground-up… Cats · Emergency guide My elderly cat with stage 2 kidney disease stepped in and licked a tiny spill of paint thinner — does her condition make this more urgent? Yes, her kidney disease makes this significantly more urgent. Petroleum distillates like paint thinner are… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg dog ate a paint chip from the windowsill yesterday — how soon would lead poisoning signs like weakness or tremors show up? Lead poisoning signs often take days to weeks to appear, but that doesn't mean you can wait. The metal builds… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat nibbled on a floral arrangement that had kalanchoe blooms in it — do bouquets and gift plants commonly hide this poison? Yes, kalanchoe is a common hidden risk in store-bought bouquets and gift succulent arrangements. Its… Dogs · Food safety Only my 10 kg terrier ate the avocado pit while my 30 kg Labrador watched — how do I handle the one who ate it and monitor the household? The terrier who ate the pit needs a vet visit now. Avocado pits are a serious choking and intestinal blockage… Dogs · Food safety How much plain cooked goose meat is a safe portion for my 20 kg dog at a holiday meal, and when does the amount become risky? A few small, bite-sized pieces of plain cooked goose — about two tablespoons total — is a safe treat for a 20… Dogs · Emergency guide My 30 kg dog swallowed an AA alkaline battery 2 hours ago — what symptoms should appear first and how long do they last? The first signs of battery ingestion are usually drooling, pawing at the mouth, and refusing food, because… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog licked ibuprofen gel off my knee 6 hours ago — when would vomiting or kidney damage signs start? Vomiting, sometimes with blood, and abdominal pain can appear within the first few hours after licking the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 18 kg pregnant dog ate a cup of blood meal fertilizer from the bag — is this extra risky for her and the unborn puppies? Yes, this is extra risky. A large amount of blood meal can trigger severe pancreatitis and gut upset, which… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate three old, mouldy vitamin A pills I found in the cupboard — is mould making them more toxic? The mould itself adds a separate risk of mycotoxin poisoning, which can cause tremors or seizures on top of…

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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.