Suspect poisoning? US: ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 · UK: 01202 509 000 · Severe symptoms → nearest emergency vet now.
Home / Questions

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.

Prefer to run the tool?

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 · Toxicity calculator My dog ate chocolate but seems fine — should I still worry? Yes, still worry. Theobromine and caffeine are absorbed slowly, so signs such as vomiting, restlessness or a… Dogs · Toxicity calculator How many grapes are toxic to a dog? There is no safe dose — kidney failure has been reported after just a handful of grapes, and a single grape… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Dog ate sugar-free gum — how much xylitol is dangerous? Xylitol is extremely dangerous to dogs: as little as 0.05 g per kg of body weight can cause a… Cats · Emergency guide My cat ate part of a lily — is it really fatal? Yes — all parts of true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis) are severely toxic to cats. Even a petal or pollen… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My dog ate one macadamia nut — is that a problem? A single nut may cause only mild or no signs in a larger dog, but macadamia toxicity in dogs causes weakness… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My dog ate an ibuprofen pill — what should I do? Call your vet immediately — ibuprofen is one of the most common and most dangerous pill poisonings in dogs.… Dogs · Toxicity calculator Can dogs eat cooked onion — my dog ate some in food? No — cooking does not remove the danger. Onion (raw or cooked) damages dogs’ red blood cells, and signs such… Cats · Toxicity calculator My cat ate acetaminophen (Tylenol/paracetamol) — emergency? Extremely urgent. Cats cannot break down acetaminophen safely, so even half a tablet can destroy their red… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My dog licked antifreeze off the driveway — how fast is it fatal? Antifreeze is one of the fastest-acting pet poisons. Signs can start within 30 minutes and, if left… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My dog drank coffee or ate grounds — is caffeine toxic to dogs? Yes — caffeine (like chocolate) can over-stimulate a dog’s heart and nervous system. Grounds and espresso are… Cats · Emergency guide My cat licked the dog’s flea treatment (permethrin) — what happens? Permethrin spot-on products made for dogs are highly toxic to cats. Even a lick can cause tremors, seizures… Dogs · Emergency guide Dog ate rat poison — how long before symptoms appear? It depends on the poison type. Anticoagulant rat poisons cause bleeding that usually appears only 2–5 days… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog ate a sago palm seed — how dangerous is that? Extremely dangerous. Every part of the sago palm contains cycasin, and the seeds are the most toxic. Even one… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog ate a weed edible (THC) — what should I watch for? Dogs are very sensitive to THC. Expect wobbliness, drowsiness and low blood pressure within 30–60 minutes… Dogs · Emergency guide My dog ate a mushroom in the garden — is it poisonous? You cannot reliably identify a mushroom by sight, and many toxic species grow in gardens. Some cause only… Dogs · Toxicity calculator My dog ate raisins from a cake — how urgent is it? Treat it as urgent. Raisins are more concentrated than grapes and can cause sudden kidney failure even in… Dogs · Food safety Can dogs eat peanut butter? Yes, with one big warning: many peanut butters are sweetened with xylitol, which is deadly to dogs. Always… Cats · Food safety Can cats drink milk? Most adult cats are lactose intolerant, so milk and large amounts of dairy usually cause stomach upset, gas… Dogs · Food safety My dog ate raw bread dough — what should I do? Call a vet immediately — this is an emergency. The dough rises inside the warm stomach and can expand enough… Dogs & cats · Food safety Is rhubarb toxic to dogs and cats? Yes. The leaves of rhubarb contain very high levels of oxalates, which can cause kidney failure, and even the… Dogs & cats · Food safety Are green onions and scallions safe for dogs? No — green onions belong to the same family as onion and garlic and are toxic to dogs and cats. They damage… Dogs · Food safety Can dogs eat bread? A piece of plain, fully baked bread is not toxic to dogs and is safe as a very occasional treat. Watch for… Dogs · Food safety Can dogs eat potatoes? Plain cooked potato (no skin, no salt or butter, no green parts) is safe and easy to digest in small amounts.… Dogs · Food safety Can dogs eat liver? A tiny piece of plain cooked liver is fine as an occasional treat, but liver is extremely high in vitamin A.… Cats · Food safety My cat ate a small piece of raw onion. Is this an emergency? Do not feed onions to cats under any circumstances. Onions are toxic and damage red blood cells, causing… Cats · Food safety Can cats eat oatmeal? Is oatmeal safe for cats? Yes, cats can eat plain cooked oatmeal in small amounts. Serve it plain — no sugar, milk, salt or syrup, just… Dogs · Food safety Can I feed my dog celery as a snack? Yes, celery is fine for dogs and makes a crunchy, low-calorie snack. Chop it into small pieces first so there… Cats · Food safety Can my cat eat corn on the cob? Is it safe? The kernels are safe, but the cob itself is not — a swallowed chunk can block a cat's intestine. If your cat… Cats · Food safety Can I feed my cat plain cooked turkey from Thanksgiving leftovers? Yes, a little plain cooked turkey is fine for a cat. Strip off all skin, bones, seasoning and gravy first … Cats · Food safety Is coconut water toxic to cats? My cat lapped some up. A small amount of coconut water is not toxic to cats, but it is high in potassium, so a big drink is not a…

Page 1 of 337

The library keeps growing. Can’t find your situation? Open the matching toxicity calculator and enter weight plus amount for an instant risk level.