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

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
Dogs · Emergency guide How can I keep my 8 kg dog from licking toads in the yard — is training enough or do I need physical barriers? Training helps, but it isn't enough on its own. Cane toad toxin acts within minutes — a dog can be wobbling… Cats · Food safety Are commercially packaged venison dog treats safe for my 4 kg cat, or should I stick to plain cooked deer meat? Plain cooked venison is the safer choice. Commercial treats often contain added salt, preservatives, or… Dogs · Emergency guide My 3-month-old puppy licked zinc oxide sunscreen off my leg. Is this an emergency? Yes, it's urgent. Puppies are at higher risk due to their small size and developing systems. Call your vet or… Cats · Emergency guide My 4.5 kg senior cat with chronic kidney disease just swallowed a chunk of hard rawhide dental chew — should I rush her to the emergency vet now? Yes, go to the emergency vet now. Rawhide expands in the stomach and can form a solid mass that blocks the… Dogs · Emergency guide How long should I monitor my 5 kg dog after he ate two wild mushrooms from the garden 3 hours ago? Monitor for at least 24 to 48 hours, even if he seems fine now. Most mushroom toxins are absorbed quickly but… Cats · Food safety My 3.5 kg Siamese cat licked salsa off a bowl that had been sitting on the coffee table for two days — is this dangerous? Two days on the coffee table means the salsa has been exposed to dust, pet hair, and room-temperature… Cats · Emergency guide My 3.5 kg senior cat just vomited 30 minutes after finding an open antifreeze bottle — what do I do right now? Call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line at 888-426-4435 immediately. Ethylene glycol in antifreeze is… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg indoor cat chewed a peace lily leaf hidden behind the bookshelf — is this an emergency? Yes. Peace lily contains calcium oxalate crystals that punch into the mouth and throat the moment the cat… Dogs · Food safety My 25 kg Labrador is nine weeks pregnant and nursing four puppies — is a teaspoon of coconut oil safe for her right now? Yes, a teaspoon is safe for a dog this size, especially one with the extra energy demands of late pregnancy… Dogs · Emergency guide My 12 kg dog chewed on stale hops I'd left in an open jar on the counter all night — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Fermented or old hops trigger malignant hyperthermia in dogs — a dangerous spike… Dogs · Emergency guide Is it harmful to feed a 5 kg beagle a jade plant leaf every day for several months? Yes, this is dangerous. Jade plants contain compounds that irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and a dog… Cats · Emergency guide How do I keep a 5 kg cat away from mushrooms I found in the garden? Keep mushrooms out of reach and train 'leave it'. If your cat eats even a small amount, call your vet… Dogs · Emergency guide Can a 5 kg dog eat raw cherry pits without harm? No, a 5 kg dog can be poisoned by just a few raw cherry pits. The pits contain cyanide, which is very toxic.… Cats · Food safety My 12-year-old cat keeps sneaking arugula from my salad plate — how do I keep her away without stressing her? Arugula itself is safe for cats in small amounts, so the problem here is really about keeping your salad… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg beagle just licked a dollop of human sunscreen after our beach walk — what should I do in the next hour? Yes — this needs action now. Oxybenzone absorbs into the skin and enters the bloodstream, and even a small… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat just licked the spray nozzle of DEET insect repellent 20 minutes ago ��� what should I do right now? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line at 888-426-4435 right now, and grab the DEET bottle to bring the label… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog licked a tiny smear of DEET off the patio table — do I need the vet? Yes — call now. Even a smear is enough to hit the nervous system fast. Watch for drooling, vomiting, or… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat swallowed cherry pits from a cooked fruit dish 10 minutes ago and is now vomiting — is that dangerous? Yes, that is dangerous and needs urgent vet attention. Cherry pits contain amygdalin, which breaks down into… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat became wobbly 45 minutes after someone gave her a melatonin supplement — is this normal? Wobbliness and drowsiness are expected effects of melatonin in cats, usually starting within 30 minutes to 2… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg terrier just ate three melatonin gummies from my nightstand — what do I do first? Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4435) now. Check the label for xylitol — if it's listed, that… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5 kg dog licked antifreeze from a bottle cap — is this an emergency? Yes, get him to a vet now. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which is sweet-tasting and lethal to dogs in… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog drank from a blue-green algae bloom at the beach while my other dog stayed dry — what should I watch for in the first few hours? Yes, this warrants urgent attention. Blue-green algae toxins can cause vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat with chronic kidney disease chewed on a lily yesterday — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an emergency. Cats with kidney disease have reduced ability to filter toxins, making plant… Cats · Emergency guide My 12-week-old kitten found a puddle of antifreeze on the garage floor—how much is dangerous? Even a few licks can be lethal for a kitten that small. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet and draws them in, and… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg tabby cat drank from a pond with visible green-blue scum on the surface — is that as dangerous as beach algae, or is it just dirty water? That green-blue scum is likely blue-green algae, and it is far more dangerous than ordinary dirty water.… Dogs · Emergency guide How soon after my 10 kg dog laps up antifreeze would symptoms like vomiting or wobbling legs appear? Within 2 to 6 hours — often much sooner than you'd expect. The first signs are usually vomiting, diarrhea… Dogs · Emergency guide My 6 kg terrier eats too many salty beef jerky treats — can this cause salt poisoning in dogs? Yes, it can. Salt-based dried treats are concentrated — a handful of beef jerky can easily deliver more than… Dogs · Emergency guide My 6 kg dog chewed on a Monstera plant that was left on the kitchen floor overnight — will he get sick? Yes, there is a real risk. Damaged or wilted plant material can concentrate toxins more than a healthy leaf… Dogs · Emergency guide My 8 kg dog with kidney disease chewed a Monstera leaf — is this more dangerous because of his condition? Yes, it is more dangerous for a dog with existing kidney disease. Many houseplants, including Monstera… Dogs · Food safety How many plain oat cookies can an 8 kg labrador eat before the sugar and fat become a problem? One plain oat cookie is fine as an occasional treat; two or three in a day is where the sugar and fat start…

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