Common pet poisons: what to do if your pet eats something toxic

Poisoning is one of the most common reasons pets end up at an emergency clinic, and many of the worst culprits are ordinary things in the kitchen, garden and medicine cabinet.

If you think your pet has eaten something toxic, phone a vet immediately — don't wait for symptoms. Many poisons cause damage hours or days before the pet looks ill, and early treatment is far more effective. Bring the packaging or wrapper with you.

Don't make your pet vomit at home

Unless a vet tells you to, don't try to make your pet sick. Salt water, mustard and hydrogen peroxide can cause serious harm, and some poisons do more damage coming back up. Your vet can make your pet vomit safely if it's the right treatment.

The big seven

Chocolate

Contains theobromine, which dogs process very slowly. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous — baking chocolate and cocoa powder are the worst. Signs (vomiting, restlessness, racing heart, tremors, seizures) usually start within 2–4 hours but can take up to 12. Easter and Christmas are peak times.

Xylitol (birch sugar)

A sweetener found in sugar-free gum, some peanut butters, toothpaste, sweets and baked goods. In dogs it can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar within 10–60 minutes, and liver failure later. Depending on the product and dog's size, a single stick of gum can be enough. Always check peanut butter labels before using it as a treat.

Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants

Can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs. The toxic amount is unpredictable — some dogs are affected by very few — so treat any amount as an emergency. Kidney damage develops over 1–3 days, often before obvious signs.

Lilies (cats)

Every part of the lily is deadly to cats — petals, leaves, stem and even pollen licked off their fur or water from the vase. Lily poisoning causes kidney failure and is usually fatal without very early treatment. The safest choice is not to have lilies in a home with cats.

Antifreeze

Ethylene glycol, also found in some screen washes and brake fluids, tastes sweet, so pets lap it up. Signs appear within 30 minutes to 12 hours — wobbliness, vomiting, then kidney failure. Cats are especially vulnerable; most die unless treated very early. Clean spills immediately.

Rat and mouse poison

Most rodent baits stop blood from clotting, causing internal bleeding that may not show for up to 10 days. Take the packaging to the vet: the type of poison determines treatment (for anticoagulants, vitamin K is the antidote). Remember that a pet can also be poisoned by eating a poisoned rodent.

Human painkillers

• Ibuprofen and similar anti-inflammatories cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure in dogs and cats.
• Paracetamol is extremely toxic to cats — even part of a tablet can kill. Watch for brown or muddy-coloured gums, a swollen face and breathing difficulty.

Never give your pet any human medicine without your vet's advice.

Other hazards worth knowing

• Onions, garlic, leeks and chives (damage red blood cells)
• Macadamia nuts
• Permethrin dog flea products used on cats (see our parasite guide)
• Pine processionary caterpillars in late winter and spring (see caterpillars and snakes)

What to tell the vet

• What your pet ate, how much, and when
• Your pet's approximate weight
• Any symptoms so far
• The packaging, label or a photo of the plant