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

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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 4 kg nursing mother cat chewed a disposable hand warmer wrapper while I was frying vegetables — what should I do? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 right away. The warm powder inside those wrappers is… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog chewed open a bag of commercial spider-themed pet treats and is now shaking — should I be concerned? Yes, be concerned. The shaking and muscle tremors you're seeing are consistent with neurotoxic venom… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg pregnant Labrador ate green tomato stems from the garden and is drooling — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Green tomato stems contain solanine and tomatine — bitter alkaloids that… Dogs · Food safety Is plain cooked pasta worse for my 10 kg dog than ramen noodles, and which should I give? Neither is harmful in plain form, but ramen noodles are usually far saltier and often come with seasoning… Cats · Food safety Are fresh blackcurrants safer for my 4 kg cat than dried cranberries, and why do people confuse them? Fresh blackcurrants are the safer option — they contain minimal sugar and no harmful compounds for cats in… Dogs · Emergency guide Are calming chews with peace lily extract safe for my 25 kg anxious dog? No, do not give any product containing peace lily extract to your dog. The plant's insoluble calcium oxalate… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog ate something unknown and was treated at the emergency vet — what happens next and how long until he's back to normal? After decontamination, your vet will start supportive care like IV fluids to flush the toxin and protect the… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog ate a 100 mg 5-HTP capsule and spent the night at the vet — what will they monitor and what does recovery look like? The vet will monitor his heart rate, temperature, and for any muscle tremors or seizures, as 5-HTP can cause… Cats · Food safety Could two small bites of plain avocado flesh cause diarrhea or an allergic reaction in my 5 kg cat? Yes, two bites of avocado could cause diarrhea due to its high fat content, which is hard for cats to digest.… Dogs · Food safety Does one macadamia nut pose a bigger risk to my 5 kg terrier than to a larger dog? Yes, size drastically changes the risk — one nut can be enough to cause weakness and wobbliness in a small… Dogs · Food safety Can my 15 kg dog on heart medication have one crushed hazelnut as a treat? It's best to avoid it. Hazelnuts are very high in fat, which can interfere with the absorption of some heart… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog was treated for eating a whole cooked chive stalk 3 days ago — what should I watch for now? Watch closely for delayed anemia, which can appear up to a week after ingestion. Your vet likely ran a blood… Dogs · Food safety My 7 kg dog with kidney disease eats cooked clams occasionally — is the sodium in clams risky for his condition, and how much is safe? Sodium is the main concern. Kidney disease impairs the dog's ability to excrete excess salt, so even modest… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg indoor cat is obsessed with knocking over supplement bottles — how do I keep 5-HTP and herbal pills away from her? Treat supplements exactly like prescription drugs and lock them away. Cats are agile and will chew through… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog on heart medication licked a laundry detergent pod that fell on the bathroom floor — does his condition make this worse? Yes, his heart condition adds significant risk. The concentrated surfactants in pods can cause corrosive… Dogs · Emergency guide I saw 'surfactant' listed on the ingredients of a dog dental chew — is that like laundry detergent and unsafe for my 15 kg dog? Surfactants in approved pet products are food-grade and used in tiny, safe amounts for texture. The… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg senior cat has been chewing flaky lead paint off our old windowsill every day for a week — what long-term damage should I expect? Lead accumulates in the body over days to weeks, causing anemia, kidney damage, and neurological problems.… Dogs · Food safety Is a single lick of whipped cream off a spoon enough to trigger pancreatitis in my 3 kg Chihuahua? One tiny lick is unlikely to cause pancreatitis in an otherwise healthy dog, but the risk is higher for very… Cats · Food safety Is a pinch of ground cardamom in my homemade pumpkin bread safe for my pregnant 5 kg cat if she steals a bite? Yes, the tiny amount of cardamom used in baking is safe for a pregnant cat. The primary concern is the other… Cats · Emergency guide My 2 kg kitten licked the surface of a bromethalin bait block an hour ago — is she in immediate danger? Yes, this is an emergency for a cat that small. Even a lick can transfer a toxic dose because the chemical… Cats · Emergency guide Which common human snacks like granola bars or trail mixes secretly contain raisins dangerous for my 4 kg indoor cat? Raisins, currants, and grapes hide in ordinary packaged foods without anyone noticing — granola bars, trail… Dogs · Emergency guide My 10 kg dog licked ear infection drops that were left out overnight in a warm bathroom — is this still safe or has the gentamicin spoiled? Ear drops left out overnight can degrade, and the plastic container may leach unknown compounds into the… Dogs · Emergency guide Only my 12 kg terrier ate anticoagulant rat poison yesterday and seems fine — should I still worry about my other dogs who did not eat it? Anticoagulant rodenticides like brodifacoum block vitamin K recycling, and internal bleeding can take 2–5… Cats · Emergency guide Can pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine cause just mild tummy upset in my 3.5 kg cat, or is this always a serious emergency? These decongestants are never just a tummy issue in cats. They are powerful vasoconstrictors and stimulants… Cats · Emergency guide Is a laundry detergent pod more dangerous for a pregnant or nursing cat than for an adult cat, and what should I do if my 4 kg queen swallowed one? A pregnant or nursing cat faces twice the risk: the concentrated surfactants and solvents in a pod cause… Cats · Food safety Is cooked beetroot safe for my 4.5 kg cat who has chronic kidney disease, or do the oxalates make it a risk even in small cubes? Cooked plain beetroot in small cubes is generally safe for cats, but your cat's compromised kidneys make… Dogs · Food safety Is nutmeg safe for my 8 kg dog who is on medication for kidney disease, and how much is too much? Nutmeg is toxic to dogs in moderate amounts — it contains myristicin, which causes tremors, seizures, and… Cats · Food safety How can I best prevent my 3.8 kg indoor cat from stealing kiwi slices, and where should I store the fruit to keep her from getting to it? Cats are curious and agile — a kiwi left on the counter or in an open bowl will disappear in seconds. Store… Cats · Food safety Can a 3-month-old, 1.2 kg kitten safely eat a tiny piece of seasoned dried seaweed, or is the iodine and salt dangerous for a kitten this young? Seaweed is very high in iodine and salt, and a 1.2 kg kitten's developing organs handle these minerals poorly… Cats · Emergency guide Will eating a cyclamen leaf cause diarrhoea in my 3 kg cat with a sensitive stomach? Yes, it can cause diarrhoea, but that is only part of the problem. The saponins in cyclamen irritate the gut…

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