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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 · Food safety My 4 kg senior cat ate a spoonful of leftover venison stew with onions from the counter last night. Is this safe? The venison itself is safe for your cat to eat, but you need to watch her closely because onions are toxic to… Cats · Food safety My senior cat licked some walnut bread dough off the counter about an hour ago — is this an emergency? Yes, this requires immediate attention. Walnuts themselves can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins that are highly… Cats · Food safety My cat licked a dessert plate clean that had walnut crumble topping on it about an hour ago — is this dangerous? Yes, this is dangerous — walnuts can contain mould toxins that cause tremors and neurological issues in cats… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat just ate a few bites of leftover risotto that had walnuts in it, and now she seems wobbly. Is this urgent? Yes, this is urgent. Walnuts can carry moulds that produce tremorgenic toxins, which cause exactly the… Cats · Food safety My 4 kg cat ate a few watercress leaves and seems a bit wobbly — how soon would signs appear if it was a reaction? Watercress is safe for cats, so wobbliness is unlikely to be from the greens. The first signs of a true food… Cats · Food safety How soon after my 4 kg domestic shorthair eats watercress would I see any symptoms, and how long would they last if they appear? Watercress is generally safe for cats, so you should not see any concerning symptoms after your cat eats it.… Cats · Food safety My senior cat ate some whipped cream off a dessert plate at a party — is that a big problem? It's a mild risk, especially for an older cat. Cream is very high in fat and can trigger vomiting, diarrhea… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat managed to eat a whole small raw cauliflower floret — is that too much for her stomach? A whole small floret is likely too much at once for a cat. While cauliflower is safe for cats in small… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat ate an entire small raw cauliflower floret — is that too much and will it cause bloating? A whole floret is a lot for a cat and likely to cause gas and digestive upset. Cauliflower is safe for cats… Cats · Food safety My senior cat with kidney disease ate some wilted, cooked spinach that was left out overnight — is this dangerous? The wilting itself isn't toxic, but it raises concerns about bacterial growth. For any cat, spinach in small… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 4 kg cat just ate a small piece of stew that had a zinc supplement crushed into it, about 30 minutes ago. Is this serious? Yes, this is serious and needs immediate veterinary attention. Zinc is toxic to cats and can cause severe… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 4 kg cat ate a small piece of chicken stew that had a crushed zinc supplement mixed in. What should I do now? This is a serious situation requiring immediate action. Zinc is a toxic heavy metal that can cause severe… Cats · Toxicity calculator My 5 kg cat licked a plate that had a zinc supplement crushed into the sauce — is this an emergency? Yes, this is an urgent situation. Zinc is a heavy metal toxic to cats, and even a small amount ingested from… Cats · Food safety If my 4 kg cat eats avocado flesh, what are the first signs of trouble and when would vomiting start? The flesh itself is not highly toxic, but its high fat content can cause gastrointestinal upset. The first… Cats · Food safety My 4kg indoor cat found two fresh basil leaves hidden in a frozen pizza topping that was left out overnight; is that safe for her? Yes, a few fresh basil leaves are safe for cats. The herb contains no known toxins for felines, and normal… Cats · Food safety I had herb-crusted chicken at a dinner party and my 3.5 kg cat keeps begging from the table — is plain parsley on the leftovers safe for her? Plain parsley itself is safe for cats, and a few leaves from your leftovers will not harm her. The bigger… Cats · Emergency guide My 5 kg cat took one tiny bite of a prenatal vitamin tablet and now seems fine after 15 minutes. Is this an emergency? Yes, treat this as an emergency. Prenatal vitamins contain iron, which is corrosive and can cause bloody… Cats · Food safety Can I add a pinch of ground black pepper to my 5 kg cat's cooked chicken breast? Yes, a light pinch of ground black pepper is fine on cooked chicken for a 5 kg cat. The amount is small… Cats · Food safety My cat just ate about 10 blackcurrants off the kitchen counter — what are the first steps I should take in the next hour? First, stay calm. Blackcurrants themselves are not toxic to cats. The immediate concern is the sugar and… Cats · Food safety Can my senior cat with few teeth have frozen blueberries, or are they safer mashed and fresh? Both frozen and fresh mashed blueberries are safe for a senior cat, but mashed fresh is the gentler option.… Cats · Food safety My 4kg adult cat ate two bites of raw bok choy that were left on the holiday buffet for 30 minutes, should I be worried? No, your cat is fine; bok choy is safe for cats in small pieces. A couple of raw bites from the buffet won't… Cats · Food safety Could one or two Brazil nuts cause vomiting or diarrhea in my cat with a sensitive stomach? Yes, absolutely. Even one or two Brazil nuts are extremely high in fat and can easily trigger vomiting or… Cats · Food safety I have a 5‑kg senior cat and a half‑cup of chocolate‑free birthday cake left on the kitchen counter for 2 hours; how can I prevent her from getting it? No, you should keep cake out of reach of a 5‑kg senior cat because even plain cake can cause gastrointestinal… Cats · Food safety Can I give cubed fresh pineapple to my 4 kg domestic shorthair instead of mango? Small fresh pineapple pieces are fine for your 4 kg cat as an occasional treat, provided you remove the tough… Cats · Food safety Can a small piece of raw carrot cause diarrhea or gas in my cat who has a sensitive digestive system? Yes, a small piece of raw carrot could potentially cause gas or mild diarrhea in a cat with a sensitive… Cats · Food safety My cat with a sensitive stomach ate two raw carrot sticks — will it cause diarrhoea or gas? It might. Carrots themselves are safe for cats, but a sensitive system can react to any new food with loose… Cats · Food safety My 3‑kg indoor cat has been given one plain cashew each day for the past three weeks, should I be concerned about long‑term effects? No, there is no immediate emergency; a single plain cashew a day is low‑fat enough for a cat of that size.… Cats · Food safety My 5‑kg cat has just chewed on about half a cup of raw cauliflower pieces, is that amount okay? No, there is no emergency; half a cup of raw cauliflower is a safe portion for a cat of this size.… Cats · Food safety Can my 7‑kg adult cat have a quarter‑cup of shredded cheddar cheese as a treat, and at what point would it become too much? Yes, a small amount of cheese such as a quarter‑cup of shredded cheddar is fine for a 7‑kg adult cat, but… Cats · Food safety How many bites of cheddar cheese can my 4kg senior cat have at once without causing diarrhea? Yes, a few tiny bites of cheese are fine for a 4kg senior cat, but the amount must stay very small. Most cats…

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