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

Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked a plate that had a smear of poultry-flavoured pet dental gel on it — could that tiny amount contain xylitol? Yes, even a smear can be dangerous if it contains xylitol. Check the product ingredient list immediately — if… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a few training treats that were stored in a bag next to a leaking laundry pod — could the detergent powder on the treats be toxic? Yes, any detergent residue is toxic. The concentrated surfactants in laundry pods cause corrosive burns on… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Is the bright green ethylene glycol antifreeze in my garage more dangerous for my 15 kg dog than the pink 'pet-safe' coolant I use in my RV? Yes, dramatically more dangerous. Ethylene glycol antifreeze is sweet-tasting and extremely toxic — a few… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate two Brazil nuts that were salted and roasted — are the salt and cooking process safer than raw nuts? No, cooking and salt don’t reduce the main risks. Brazil nuts are dangerously high in selenium and fat — just… Dogs · Food safety At a backyard BBQ, my 10 kg dog snatched a whole passion fruit, peel and all, from the fruit bowl. Guests say he swallowed it in two bites — what now? The peel is the problem — it contains cyanogenic glycosides that can release cyanide when chewed or digested.… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate boric acid powder from under the fridge — my other two cats didn't touch it. How do I keep the others safe while handling this emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg Labrador grabbed a half-eaten corn cob from the BBQ buffet table at a party 20 minutes ago — what's the risk at a summer gathering? This is a high-risk emergency. Corn cobs do not digest and can cause a complete intestinal blockage within… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg dog ate one whole raw chicken thigh with the bone — is a single thigh enough to cause a blockage or bacterial poisoning? Yes, one raw chicken thigh is enough for both risks. The bone can splinter and puncture the intestines or get… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat licked a few spoons of homemade soup that had foxglove leaves mistakenly added as herbs — what do I do in the next hour? This is an immediate cardiac emergency. Foxglove contains digitalis, which can cause a dangerously slow or… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog ate a dental chew that lists 'xylitol' in the ingredients — are there other everyday dog treats or supplements that secretly contain this? Yes, xylitol hides in many products beyond toothpaste. Check peanut butter, sugar-free yogurt drops, some… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg diabetic dog on insulin ate two sugar-free candies from the table — does his existing condition make the xylitol poisoning worse or different? Yes, a diabetic dog is at far greater risk. Xylitol triggers a massive insulin release, crashing blood sugar.… Dogs · Food safety My 5 kg, 12-week-old puppy just drank a few sips of lukewarm hot chocolate from a spilled mug — is this more dangerous for a puppy's small size? Yes, a few sips are far more dangerous for a puppy. Their smaller body weight means the same amount of… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat ate a small raw chicken bone that was in a beef stew I was making — what's the risk from the bone and the raw meat? This is high risk from both the raw meat and the bone. Raw poultry carries Salmonella and E. coli, which can… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat stole and ate a piece of fried catfish with cornmeal batter 3 hours ago and just vomited — what signs should I watch for over the next 12 hours? The main concern now is pancreatitis or gastrointestinal upset from the rich, greasy batter. Watch for… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg curious kitten keeps trying to steal fresh figs from the fruit bowl — how can I train her to leave them alone and store them safely? Store figs in a sealed container inside the refrigerator or in a high, closed cabinet she cannot access. For… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog just licked a spoon that had a bit of onion soup on it — is that one lick enough to be toxic? A single lick is very unlikely to cause poisoning, but you should still monitor him closely. Onion toxicity… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 6 kg senior cat with kidney disease chewed a used 2 mg nicotine gum wrapper left on the counter all day — is this worse than for a healthy cat? Yes — and this is an emergency. Nicotine is a fast-acting neurotoxin that over-excites nerves before blocking… Dogs · Emergency guide My 15 kg Labrador ate about half a cup of blood meal fertilizer pellets — is that amount dangerous or just an upset stomach? That amount is dangerous and requires an immediate call to your vet or the ASPCA poison line. Half a cup of… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog with a sensitive stomach ate a small piece of raw aloe leaf and now has runny diarrhea — is this just his usual intolerance or poisoning? This is likely poisoning, not just intolerance. The yellow sap in aloe leaves contains strong laxatives that… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg cat ate a tablespoon of raw bread dough that was left out overnight and seems fermented — is spoiled dough more dangerous? Yes, fermented dough is more dangerous because it already contains alcohol and the yeast is very active. For… Dogs · Emergency guide My 25 kg dog ate one THC gummy two hours ago — what signs of poisoning should I watch for and how long until he might seem drunk? Watch for wobbliness, dilated pupils, and lethargy — these "drunk" signs often appear within 30 minutes to 3… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat licked a plate that had zucchini stew with garlic and onions in the sauce — is the zucchini itself safe with those other ingredients? The zucchini is safe, but garlic and onions are toxic to cats. The danger depends on how much sauce she… Dogs · Food safety My 3-month-old, 5 kg puppy snatched one small bite of plain vanilla cake with buttercream frosting — is that okay for a young puppy? One small bite is unlikely to poison him, but it's not good for him. Puppies have sensitive digestive… Dogs · Food safety Are dental chews for my 7 kg dog that list 'pickle juice flavor' in the ingredients safe, or do they contain too much salt and garlic? They are likely safe in the amounts used for flavoring, but check the full ingredient list. The main risks in… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg indoor cat licked a spider web with a tiny spider in it — could that one lick cause a venomous bite? A single lick is very low risk for a venomous bite. Spiders typically bite defensively when crushed or… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg puppy licked one piece of sugar-free gum for a few seconds then spat it out — is that tiny amount dangerous? A quick lick is unlikely to cause the severe diarrhoea that comes from swallowing a whole piece. The sorbitol… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg pregnant cat ate a small piece of green rat poison bait block 30 minutes ago — what's the risk to her and the unborn kittens? This is an emergency for both the queen and her litter. Find the bait packaging immediately — the color green… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat licked oven cleaner foam 2 days ago, was treated at the vet, and is now home — what should I watch for during recovery? Watch closely for delayed complications. The main risks now are esophageal strictures from scarring, which… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg dog just ate three rhubarb leaves from the garden — what's the first step I should take at home? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 immediately. Rhubarb leaves are highly toxic due to… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog ate a chunk of anticoagulant rat bait that was left out in the garage and looks mouldy — does spoilage make it more dangerous? Yes, this is an emergency — call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 now. Spoilage doesn't…

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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.