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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 6 kg diabetic cat on insulin ate a 'milk booster' supplement that lists dried infant formula as the first ingredient — is the sugar content a risk? Yes, the sugar is a significant risk. Infant formula is high in lactose and other sugars, which can cause a… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg outdoor cat licked some green scum off a garden pond an hour ago and is now vomiting — is this just a stomach upset or an emergency? This is an emergency. Vomiting within an hour of exposure to pond scum is a classic first sign of blue-green… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate a chunk of green rat poison block, but my other 25 kg dog didn't touch it — how do I keep the second dog safe and monitor the first? First, find the packaging to identify the active ingredient — this dictates the danger and treatment for your… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog with early-stage kidney disease is on medication — is a splash of apple cider vinegar in his water bowl safe or risky? It's risky and best avoided. The acidity can irritate the stomach lining, potentially causing vomiting or… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat with a cough just licked a bit of honey-based human cough syrup off the spoon — is the honey or the medication the bigger concern? The medication is the far bigger concern. Human cough syrups often contain ingredients like acetaminophen… Cats · Emergency guide My 6 kg cat ate some chicken gravy that had dog flea treatment dripped in it 2 hours ago and is now wobbly. Is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. The wobbliness means the permethrin is already affecting her nervous system. Wash… Dogs · Emergency guide My 6 kg puppy licked half a pump of hand sanitizer from the kitchen counter 20 minutes ago and is now panting, what should I do first? Call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control Center right now. Ethanol from the gel is being absorbed fast… Dogs · Food safety Are commercial dog jerky treats with garlic powder safe for my 8 kg dog, or should I avoid them? Avoid them. Garlic powder is concentrated, and even small amounts in treats can add up over time, damaging… Dogs · Emergency guide What happens after my 12 kg terrier eats blood meal fertilizer pellets? Yes, it's urgent. Watch for signs like vomiting, diarrhoea, or weakness. The vet may run blood tests and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog keeps trying to get into the infant formula powder canister on the kitchen counter. How can I stop him and is licking the scoop dangerous? Yes, even a lick is a risk. The high lactose and minerals in formula can cause vomiting and diarrhoea… Dogs · Emergency guide At a BBQ, my 12 kg dog licked a puddle of drain cleaner that spilled under the sink 30 minutes ago. He's now drooling. What's the first thing I should do? Call your vet or an emergency clinic immediately — drain cleaner is caustic and damages tissue on contact. Do… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate about a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder from the counter. Is that a safe amount or should I be worried about an upset stomach? A quarter teaspoon is likely to cause an upset stomach, like vomiting or diarrhoea. A safe pinch is much… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat keeps stealing cooked celeriac pieces from my plate. How can I prevent this, and is a few small bites each time safe? A few small, cooked pieces are safe, but it's best to break the habit. Store cooked celeriac in a sealed… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog just ate a whole lemon slice, including the peel, 15 minutes ago. He's making sour faces and drooling. What do I do first? First, offer him a drink of plain water to rinse the acidic oils from his mouth. The sour face and drooling… Dogs · Emergency guide My 20 kg pregnant dog licked glow stick liquid off her paw after a party — is this dangerous for her and the puppies? Yes, it is a risk for her and the unborn puppies. The bitter liquid irritates the mouth and causes intense… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog licked a spot I just cleaned with oven cleaner — is that worse than if he'd licked regular dish soap? Yes, oven cleaner is far more dangerous than dish soap. It contains strong alkali like sodium hydroxide that… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 15 kg dog ate a chocolate-covered coffee bean — is the caffeine or the chocolate more dangerous for him? Both are dangerous, but in a chocolate-covered coffee bean, the caffeine is the bigger immediate threat.… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog licked a tiny amount of whiskey from a glass I left on the coffee table — is that one lick an emergency? One lick is unlikely to cause ethanol poisoning in a dog his size, but you should still watch him closely.… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat stole a piece of plain grilled squid from the holiday buffet — is this safe for her or should I worry about choking? Plain grilled squid is safe for cats, but the texture is very chewy and can be a choking hazard, especially… Cats · Food safety Can my 3 kg cat with early-stage kidney disease have a few plain, unsalted pumpkin seeds as an occasional treat? Yes, a few plain pumpkin seeds are safe for a cat with kidney disease, but they offer no renal benefit and… Cats · Emergency guide My two indoor cats, both around 4 kg, keep nibbling chives from my kitchen herb garden. How can I safely deter them without using toxic sprays? Move the chives out of reach immediately — even a few nibbles can cause delayed but severe anaemia in cats.… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog ate a beef stew that had several one-inch corn cob chunks in it about 30 minutes ago. Is this a blockage risk? Yes, this is a high risk for intestinal blockage. Corn cobs do not digest and can lodge anywhere in the gut… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate a bite of plain cooked halibut and now seems itchy. How soon would a fish allergy show up, and what are the signs? Allergic signs can appear within minutes to a few hours. Watch for facial swelling, hives, excessive… Cats · Food safety My 4.5 kg cat licked a teaspoon of olive oil that had been sitting in an open bottle for over a year. Is rancid oil dangerous? Rancid olive oil isn't toxic, but it can cause an upset stomach. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea within the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier ate a whole pseudoephedrine tablet from the nightstand, but my 25 kg Lab didn't touch it — what do I do for the one that ate it? This is an emergency for your terrier. Keep the other dog away and call your vet right now with the exact… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked a small smear of psoriasis cream off my arm and now has soft stool — is this an allergy or poisoning? This is poisoning, not an allergy. The soft stool is an early sign, but the real danger is a massive rise in… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My 10 kg dog ate 5 seedless grapes — is that worse for him than a tablespoon of raisins would be? Both are equally dangerous because the toxic dose is unpredictable. Raisins are dried and concentrated, so a… Cats · Food safety Are commercial cat treats with plain cooked herring safe for my 4 kg senior cat with no health issues? Yes, plain cooked herring in commercial treats is safe. Check the label to ensure it's the only fish and… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat stole a few bites of sugary raisin cereal — is that worse for her than plain oatmeal would be? Yes, it's worse. Plain oatmeal is just bland fiber, but raisin cereal has two problems: the sugar can cause… Cats · Food safety Only my 3 kg kitten licked a spoon of blackstrap molasses; my two adult cats didn't. What should I do just for her? For the kitten, watch closely for diarrhea, vomiting, or signs of a sugar rush like hyperactivity and then a…

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