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 9 kg dog chewed three lily of the valley buds two hours ago and hasn't vomited yet—what symptoms might show up and how soon? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line right now. Vomiting or bloody diarrhea can start as soon as 30minutes… Dogs · Emergency guide Can a 6 kg adult dog develop diarrhea after licking a mothball that was left on the floor for 2 hours? Yes, a 6kg adult dog that licked a mothball can develop diarrhea and should be treated as an emergency.… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked a bit of anticoagulant rat poison powder yesterday and now has mild diarrhea. Is this just a stomach upset or the start of poisoning? Diarrhea alone is not a typical sign of anticoagulant poisoning — internal bleeding shows up days later as… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg senior cat with chronic kidney disease chewed on a naphthalene mothball in the closet. Is the risk higher for her? Yes, the risk is much higher. Her kidneys are already compromised and cannot filter the toxins as well… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier played in the sprinkler for an hour and seems wobbly now. What signs of water intoxication appear first and how quickly? Wobbliness and confusion are often the first noticeable signs, appearing within 30 minutes to a few hours… Cats · Toxicity calculator How many zinc pennies would it take to poison a 4 kg cat, and is one coin already dangerous? Even one modern penny is dangerous for a cat that small. Zinc coins sit in the stomach and continuously… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat nibbled a fresh oleander leaf 2 hours ago. What are the first cardiac signs and when do they typically start? The first cardiac signs are often a slow or irregular heartbeat, which can begin within a few hours. You… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog just came home from the vet for an unrelated issue and stole a whole peeled kiwi. What should I watch for over the next 24 hours? Watch for mild vomiting or diarrhea, which are the most likely reactions to a new fruit, especially if his… Cats · Food safety How can I stop my 5 kg cat from jumping on the counter and stealing raw venison while I'm cooking? Keep the raw meat covered and never turn your back on it — cats are lightning fast. Use a lid or place the… Dogs · Emergency guide How can I train my 12 kg Labrador to 'leave it' around a glue trap I found in the garage? Yes, training 'leave it' is essential. Glue traps use industrial adhesives that can mat fur and tear skin if… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Only my 10 kg terrier ate a 2 mg nicotine gum piece 15 minutes ago — how do I handle my other two dogs in the house? Immediately call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 — nicotine acts fast. While you get help… Dogs · Emergency guide Is calcipotriene psoriasis cream more dangerous for my 15 kg dog than the vitamin D in his regular joint supplement? Yes, vastly more dangerous. Calcipotriene is a potent vitamin D analog that can cause a massive, rapid rise… Dogs · Food safety Is it okay to add a quarter cup of plain cooked quinoa to my 12 kg dog's dinner bowl every night? Yes, that small amount is generally safe if the quinoa is well-rinsed and plain. Rinsing removes surface… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate several arugula leaves and vomited once — how long should I monitor her and what should I watch for? Plain arugula is safe, so the vomiting is likely from eating too fast or a mild stomach irritation. Monitor… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg cat ate a tablespoon of dry cornmeal and seems fine — what tests would a vet run if I brought her in just in case? Plain cornmeal is non-toxic, so a vet visit is usually unnecessary unless she shows signs. If you brought her… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a pea-sized piece of anticoagulant rodenticide, not the old-style rat bait. Is this newer poison worse for her than the kind my parents used? Yes, modern anticoagulant rodenticides like brodifacoum are far more potent and long-lasting than older… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat keeps chewing my large dieffenbachia plant. How can I keep her away from it without getting rid of the plant? Move the plant to a room she cannot access, or place it on a high, stable shelf she cannot jump to — cats are… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat ate one stick of sugar-free gum with sorbitol. Is the diarrhea risk worse for her than it would be for a 30 kg dog eating the same amount? Yes, the risk is significantly higher for your small cat. Sorbitol causes diarrhea by pulling water into the… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat with early kidney disease lapped up a tablespoon of spilled diet cola. Could the caffeine or artificial sweeteners worsen her kidney condition? The main concern is checking the label for xylitol, which is highly toxic to pets and can cause liver failure… Cats · Food safety My 3-month-old, 2 kg kitten just ate about 15 plain sweetcorn kernels that fell on the kitchen floor. Is this safe for her developing digestive system? Yes, plain sweetcorn kernels are safe for kittens. They are small and soft enough to pass through her system… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked a phenol antiseptic from the first aid kit, but my other two cats didn't touch it — what steps should I take for all of them now? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 immediately. Phenol is corrosive and can burn the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3 kg Pomeranian ate five iron gummy vitamins from an open bottle — does his tiny size make this more dangerous than for a larger dog? Yes, his small size makes the risk much higher. The same number of gummies delivers a much larger dose of… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog with a heart murmur ate three 100 mcg levothyroxine tablets an hour ago — does his pre-existing condition make this overdose worse? Yes, his heart condition significantly raises the danger. Levothyroxine overdose causes a racing heart and… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg terrier just drank a few laps of diluted bleach water from a mop bucket — is this amount more serious for her small size than for a bigger dog? Yes, her small size means the same volume of liquid delivers a higher concentration of bleach to her stomach… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog with chronic kidney disease occasionally nibbles a lettuce leaf from my salad — is this safe for his condition, or could it affect his treatment? Yes, plain lettuce is safe and can actually be helpful because it's mostly water and very low in phosphorus… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg terrier licked a quarter-sized dab of ibuprofen gel off my knee — is that enough to hurt her? Yes, that amount can be dangerous for a dog that small. Topical gels are highly concentrated, and a lick can… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog bit a glow stick 6 hours ago, the vet rinsed his mouth, and he's home now. How long do I need to keep him from eating and drinking? You can offer small sips of water or a bland meal like plain boiled chicken right away if he wants it. The… Dogs · Emergency guide How much ear cleaning solution is dangerous if my 8 kg puppy licked a few drops off the bottle tip? A few drops are unlikely to cause serious poisoning, but they can still irritate his mouth and stomach. The… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat just chewed a pothos leaf and is drooling heavily — what are the exact steps I should take in the next 30 minutes? First, gently wipe her mouth and fur with a damp cloth to remove any plant sap — cats groom themselves and… Dogs · Emergency guide Should I avoid dog treats or chews that list 'natural insecticide' or 'plant-based pest control' ingredients for my 20 kg dog? Yes, avoid them completely. The term 'natural' doesn't mean safe — many plant-based insecticides are…

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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.