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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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 3 kg kitten licked gasoline off the garage floor 45 minutes ago — she's coughing now. Should I rush to the vet? Yes, go now. Coughing 45 minutes after gasoline exposure is a sign of aspiration — the fuel has likely… Dogs · Emergency guide How do I keep my 12 kg dog from licking de-icing salt off his paws after winter walks? The most effective approach combines physical barriers with training. Wipe his paws with a damp towel the… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog stole a chunk of pineapple including the core at a BBQ — should I worry about the core? The flesh is fine in small amounts, but the core and spiky skin are the real problem. The core is tough… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg indoor cat chewed a handful of wet used hops from my brewing bowl — when do symptoms appear and what are they? Malignant hyperthermia from hops can begin within 1–2 hours and escalates fast. Watch for rapid breathing… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg dog ate raw potato plant leaves from the garden — is this worse than him eating a cooked plain potato? Yes, and it's an emergency. Raw potato plant leaves contain solanine glycoalkaloids, which are natural… Dogs · Food safety My 3 kg Shih Tzu knocked over and drank from my whey protein shaker — does his small size make this more risky than for a larger dog? Yes — body size matters here. A 3 kg dog absorbing the full contents of a shaker is a much bigger exposure… Dogs · Emergency guide Can raw bread dough cause gas and bloating in my 8 kg dog with a sensitive stomach, even without alcohol poisoning? Yes, a sensitive stomach makes the bloat risk worse, not better. Raw yeast dough keeps expanding in your… Cats · Emergency guide Does melatonin hide in common cat snacks or fish-flavored treats, and could my 3.5 kg senior cat get wobbly from accidental exposure? Some calming chews and sleep-support treats for pets do list melatonin on the label, but it’s rare in… Dogs · Food safety After my 10 kg dog ate half a can of water-packed sardines, how long should I monitor him at home, and what tests will the vet run if he shows vomiting? Monitor your 10 kg dog for 24–48 hours after eating sardines; most dogs tolerate water-packed, no-salt… Cats · Food safety What are the first signs my 5 kg cat might show after eating cooked kohlrabi, and how soon after ingestion should I expect any digestive upset? Cooked, peeled kohlrabi is safe for cats, and most 5 kg cats show no signs at all after a few bites. If any… Dogs · Food safety Can I give my 15 kg dog a spoonful of plain yogurt every day for weeks, or will the live cultures and lactose eventually cause diarrhoea or weight gain? A daily spoonful of plain, unsweetened yogurt is generally safe for a 15 kg dog, but watch for loose stools… Cats · Emergency guide What happens after vet treats 4 kg cat for Gorilla Glue? After treatment, watch for vomiting, bloating, and loss of appetite. The vet may run blood tests and X-rays… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg Scottish Fold chewed five apple seeds — is that worse than eating apple slices? Yes, much worse. Apple flesh is harmless, but the seeds contain amygdalin — a compound that breaks down into… Cats · Emergency guide My cat ate nutmeg — how safe are the others? Yes, the others are safe unless they eat the same amount. Watch for vomiting. If they do, call your vet.… Cats · Emergency guide My 14-year-old cat with a sensitive stomach ate cinnamon left out overnight — should I call a vet now? Yes — call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 right away. Cinnamon contains coumarin… Dogs · Emergency guide Can two pinches of ground cinnamon give my 4 kg dog with chronic diarrhea diarrhea or worse? It can — and possibly worse. A 4 kg dog eating two pinches of ground cinnamon may get more than loose stools… Dogs · Emergency guide My 7 kg dog ate ground nutmeg mixed into a beef stew four hours ago — what should I watch for? Watch closely for the next several hours. Nutmeg contains myristicin, which attacks the central nervous… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg indoor cat ate a whole raw endive leaf at a Thanksgiving party — could the party food around it be worse? Endive itself is safe for cats in small amounts, but a whole leaf given all at once could upset her stomach.… Cats · Food safety My 10-year-old cat who is already lactose-intolerant ate a small cube of cheddar mixed into her wet food — what should I expect? Most likely loose stools or mild diarrhea, but it depends on how much she actually ate and how sensitive her… Cats · Emergency guide Is ground nutmeg powder worse for my 4 kg Bengal cat than a whole cracked nutmeg seed? It depends on how much got in. Myristicin is the toxin in both forms, but ground powder mixes more easily… Dogs · Emergency guide My 9 kg golden retriever ate a spoonful of ground nutmeg from my spice jar while my other dog stayed away — should I still be concerned about him? Yes, stay concerned. Ground nutmeg is especially easy for a dog to eat quickly because it tastes like nothing… Cats · Emergency guide My 11 kg cat with chronic kidney disease accidentally ate a pinch of cinnamon from my baking counter — does her condition make this more dangerous? Yes, her kidney disease makes this more dangerous. Cinnamon contains coumarin and essential oils that… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg Scottish Fold with a known sensitive stomach chewed on five apple seeds this morning — will she just get diarrhoea or is this poisoning? This is poisoning, not just a sensitive stomach reaction. Apple seeds release cyanide when chewed, and your… Cats · Food safety My 4.5 kg Russian Blue licked horseradish sauce off my plate yesterday — what should I expect over the next 48 hours and what will the vet check? Over the next 48 hours watch for any vomiting, drooling, or refusal to eat. Horseradish is pungent and… Cats · Food safety My 8 kg Maine Coon with a heart murmur ate two cooked Brussels sprouts from my dinner plate — is that safe given her heart condition? Yes, that amount is safe for her. Cooked plain Brussels sprouts are fine for cats even with heart disease … Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg beagle ate some red currants instead of black currants by mistake �� are red currants more dangerous for a dog of his size? No, they carry the same risk level. Both red and black currants are safe for dogs in small amounts — the main… Dogs · Emergency guide My 6 kg corgi sniffed out a bowl of ground cinnamon that sat on the kitchen counter overnight — is mouldy cinnamon dangerous for dogs or just a tummy upsets? Mouldy cinnamon is worse than stale — the mould itself can produce toxins, and the coumarin and essential… Dogs · Emergency guide Is ground nutmeg more dangerous for my 5 kg mini schnauzer than ground cinnamon, since both are common baking spices I keep on the counter? Yes — nutmeg is more dangerous for a 5 kg dog than cinnamon. Nutmeg contains myristicin, which directly… Cats · Emergency guide My indoor 4 kg Russian Blue chewed on apple seeds that had been left in a fruit bowl on the counter overnight — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency for a 4 kg cat. Apple seeds contain amygdalin which breaks down into hydrogen… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg Persian cat with a known sensitive stomach ate a tiny pinch of ground nutmeg — will she just get diarrhoea or is this actual poisoning? This is actual poisoning, not just a sensitive stomach reaction. Nutmeg contains myristicin, a neurotoxin…

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