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 · Food safety How do I store cooked shrimp in my apartment so my 4 kg indoor cat cannot sneak pieces from the counter between meal preps? Keep cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator at all times, never on the counter where a… Cats · Food safety My cat keeps trying to lick the raw parsnip peels I drop on the kitchen floor—should I stop him? Yes, stop him. Raw parsnip peels can be a choking hazard and might cause mild stomach upset. The real risk is… Dogs · Food safety My 6kg terrier ate two macadamia nuts from the holiday buffet within 20 minutes and is now wobbling—what should I do? Yes, this is an emergency – call your vet or the ASPCA Poison Control Center (888‑426‑4435) right now. Two… Dogs · Emergency guide My 5kg dachshund ate two bites of azalea leaves mixed in a chicken stew 45 minutes ago and is now drooling, should I be worried? Yes, this is an emergency and you need veterinary care right away. The two bites you described are likely… Dogs · Food safety My 3kg toy poodle ate three bites of tangerine peel about 20 minutes ago; should I be worried? It's not an emergency, but you should monitor your tiny dog closely. The citrus peel contains essential oils… Dogs · Food safety My 22 lb dog just ate a handful of fresh blackcurrants from the garden — should I rush to the vet or just watch her? She's fine. Blackcurrants are safe for dogs, even in a handful. The only real concern is the sugar piling up… Cats · Food safety My 5-year-old indoor cat just knocked over a bowl of plain warm oatmeal and ate two heaping spoonfuls — what should I do in the first hour? Nothing urgent — plain cooked oatmeal is safe for cats and that amount is unlikely to cause any problem.… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg beagle just pulled a whole mint sprig from the kitchen herb pot and chewed on it for two full minutes — what do I do right now? Remove the rest of the sprig and check under the sink and behind the fridge — dogs always hide wrappers and… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog walked on de-icing salt and is now limping — what should I do? Yes, this is an emergency. The first signs of ice melt poisoning can appear within 30 minutes to 2 hours.… Dogs · Food safety Is passion fruit safer for dogs than apples? Yes, passion fruit is safer in small amounts. A teaspoon of pulp is fine, but the peel and leaves are toxic.… Dogs · Food safety How do I keep my 8-week-old puppy from eating raw peanut butter left out overnight? Store peanut butter securely, out of your puppy's reach. Use childproof containers or keep it in the fridge.… Cats · Food safety My 3 kg Bengal ate 4 grapes while my other cat watched from the counter. How do I handle both of them now? That's enough to be dangerous. Call your vet or the ASPCA poison line (888-426-4255) now for the Bengal. With… Dogs · Food safety My 25 kg labrador is in her second week of nursing three puppies and ate a few small cooked artichoke hearts — can she keep nursing safely? Yes. Cooked artichoke hearts cut into small pieces are safe for a nursing dog. Offer them plain and keep an… Cats · Food safety My 6 kg cat licked the pumpkin spice latte whipped cream topping off my mug. Is the nutmeg in it dangerous? Yes, it's a high risk. Nutmeg is toxic to cats and can cause tremors and disorientation even in moderate… Cats · Emergency guide My 3 kg cat ate raw mistletoe left out overnight — what should I do? Yes, it's urgent. Mistletoe can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Call your vet now. Rinse the cat's mouth if… Cats · Food safety Can I give my 12 kg senior cat beer-flavored treats? No, beer is toxic to cats. Even a small amount can cause serious health issues. If your cat ate the treats… Dogs · Food safety Can I keep a cake with raisins out of reach of my 5 kg dog? Yes, keep the cake out of reach. Raisins are toxic to dogs, especially small breeds. If your dog eats them… Cats · Food safety Is a small 2 kg cat safe to eat plain cooked cod if she takes two bites? Yes, two bites are fine for a 2 kg cat. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea. If she's a senior, offer smaller… Cats · Food safety My 5 kg cat licked 3 bites of chili off the counter, what symptoms should I watch for? Severe mouth pain, drooling, vomiting, and stomach irritation within 30 minutes. Watch closely. If symptoms… Dogs · Food safety My 12 kg dog keeps sniffing the pantry for my dried cranberries. Should I train him to 'leave it'? Yes, teaching 'leave it' is useful for any food you want kept safe. A 12 kg dog could eat a whole bag if he… Dogs · Food safety My 8 kg dog ate papaya with seeds and is now vomiting a little — what do I do first? Ripe papaya flesh is safe, but the seeds can irritate the stomach. This small amount of vomiting is likely… Cats · Food safety My 3.5kg indoor cat licked a pinch of garlic powder from a spice jar 20 minutes ago and is now drooling, should I call the vet? Yes, a lick of garlic powder can be toxic to a cat and you need veterinary help now. Garlic powder is a… Dogs · Food safety My 10 kg beagle just ate a whole raw chili pepper and is now panting heavily — what do I do first? Yes, this is urgent. Capsaicin burns their mouth and throat, and that panting means he's in pain. Get a bowl… Cats · Emergency guide My 4 kg cat licked leftover gravy that had a crushed Benadryl tablet in it about an hour ago. What should I do? Yes, this is an urgent situation. A whole crushed tablet in gravy is a large dose for a small cat, and the… Dogs · Food safety My 6 kg dachshund ate a store-bought peanut butter chew treat an hour ago — is that going to be a problem? It depends entirely on the label. Check whether that treat contains xylitol — sometimes listed as birch sugar… Dogs · Food safety Can I give cooked, plain asparagus spears to my 10 kg puppy as a snack? Yes, cooked and plain is fine for a puppy. Steam or boil the spears until tender, cut them into bite-size… Cats · Emergency guide My 4‑month‑old kitten weighing about 800g just chewed a piece of a cane toad that was on the floor 20 minutes ago and is now drooling—what should I do? Yes, it is an emergency. The bufotoxin on the toad’s skin is already being absorbed through the kitten’s red… Cats · Food safety Is it safe to feed my 4kg indoor cat a shrimp‑flavored treat that lists cooked shrimp, giving two bites each day for a week? Yes, a few shrimp‑flavored treats are fine for a 4kg cat if the shrimp are fully cooked and shelled. The… Cats · Food safety My cat licked some buttery turnip skin off a party plate. He's 5 kg, no symptoms yet. Is he okay? Yes, he's fine. Cats can eat cooked turnip, and a little butter won't hurt. The skin is tough, so watch for… Cats · Food safety My 2 kg Siamese ate one leaf of raw mustard greens — is that dangerous? Safe — one raw leaf in a 2 kg cat won't cause harm. The fibrous bite is more likely to pass through unnoticed…

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