Protect Your Pet from Toxins
Updated: 7 days ago
This is a very basic article about protecting your pet from toxins. I will not go into the intricacies of how the ER veterinarians monitor electrolytes, vital signs, decide on detailed drug protocols etc. The purpose of this article is pet parent awareness, increased care and how to get help.
Look around your house for stray medication (put it away in an upper cupboard). Some pets may need childproofed cupboards (including upper cabinets if you have a dexterous cat). Put away tobacco products, remote controls or items containing batteries of any kind, candy/mints/mouthwash/toothpaste containing xylitol or buy products without it. Wipe up spills of energy drinks and know that coffee grounds are toxic when ingested. Examine bouquets for toxic flowers. Keep your garbage bin in a childproofed cupboard if you have a pet that gets into the garbage. Watch carefully on walks what your pet is getting into.
Never underestimate a pet’s ability to get up on or access the kitchen counter or to open cupboards. Have a serious talk with your spouse, pet caretakers and children about how important it is to protect the family pet from eating something poisonous to them (that might not be poisonous to a human). This is how the conversation goes at our house, “your melatonin contains xylitol…this toothpaste contains xylitol…your hearing aid batteries must get into the garbage can…this vitamin D3… if ingested by (our cat) will kill her.”
Please call your veterinarian, ER vet clinic or Pet Poison Helpline if your pet has ingested anything that you think might be toxic or you are unsure about. If your pet is not looking well go straight to ER.
Do not induce vomiting in your dog (home methods do not work on cats) without speaking to a veterinarian. You can lose precious time and perhaps cause more damage. Pets with a history of aspiration pneumonia, laryngeal paralysis or (previous laryngeal tie-back surgery), heart disease or upper airway disease are at risk from vomiting. Some breeds (pugs, English Bulldog, Shih-tzu) that might have structural issues such as elongated soft palate, stenotic nares (very narrow/congested nasal passages), or tracheal collapse, are better candidates for ER where they can be sedated and have gastric lavage rather than induced vomiting and risk aspiration.
Bring all packaging, pill vials, and containers so your vet can see labels. If a product is ER (extended-release) it might buy more time for inducing vomiting and other treatments.
Acrylamide Exposure: Acrylamide can be found inside popular hydrogel-filled cooling migraine caps, headache wraps, and cooling face masks. It is suspected that the appearance of this toxin is a manufacturing issue, degradation over time or heat exposure (which releases the Acrylamide). This is an EMERGENCY situation. Get help right away. Signs show up within hours of ingestion: starting with severe vomiting, moving to abnormal mentation, extreme sensitivity to touch or sound, muscle tremors, seizures, abnormally rapid heart rate, coma, and ocular changes. Multiple fatalities have been reported. There is no specific antidote. The ER vet may induce vomiting if the pet has normal alertness, give activated charcoal or lavage the digestive tract, and provide supportive and symptomatic therapy. If the pet recovers, some have lingering ataxia (imbalance and wobbliness with movement). https://ijclinmedcasereports.com/pdf/IJCMCR-CS-01484.pdf
Avocado: All parts are toxic and fatal in birds, the flesh part of avocado is ok in small bites for dogs and cats, but the pit, skin and leaves are very toxic. I’m often surprised that a dog will get into the garbage eat the skin and munch on the pit. If we can catch it within 1-2 hours, initial treatment is to induce vomiting.
Batteries: Remote controls are common sources for batteries, but dogs will get batteries out of the garbage or chew on the whole plastic bubble package. Some batteries will cause deep ulcers (oral ulcers can show up several hours later, so keep a watch on your pet’s mouth), others will cause severe tissue damage and perforation in the stomach and intestine. If you are suspicious at all that your dog has ingested or chewed on a battery, seek emergency veterinary care for an exam / thorough oral exam, x-rays, potential endoscopy or surgery. Call ahead, because your regular vet may send you to ER if they are unable to address your pet’s emergency right away. Depending on the battery type and timing, inducing vomiting is often not recommended since the acids in the battery can damage the esophagus. Lithium batteries are the most dangerous. One 3-volt battery can cause extreme corrosive effects as rapidly as within 15-30 minutes.
Caffeine: (medication, energy drinks, coffee grounds(!), diet supplements, chocolate covered espresso beans) 15 mg/kg dose results in mild symptoms, 25 mg/kg moderate, over 50 mg/kg severe symptoms. If the caffeine is in a liquid form, signs occur in 30 minutes, solid form, you will see signs in 60 minutes. Your pet may vomit or have diarrhea, become agitated, have increased thirst. A moderate dose will cause an abnormally increased heart rate. An upper end dose will result in body tremors and abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, and the energy tablets can potentially cause low potassium levels. If in doubt go to ER. There really isn’t any time to make your pet vomit if they have ingested your entire energy drink because symptoms start within 15 minutes.
Cannabis is legal in Washington and pets do get into their owner’s supply or treats. Regardless of where you live, be honest with your veterinarian so your pet can get the correct medical help. Symptoms can start as soon as 30 minutes after ingestion and include: anxiousness, hypersensitivity to noise, trembling, seizure, imbalance, dribbling urine or loss of bowel control, vomiting, diarrhea and hypersalivation. If we can catch this quickly, we induce vomiting and depending on amount, follow with activated charcoal. If the pet is more seriously affected, they need hospitalization and supportive care.
Of note, some pets can be affected by secondary smoke.
Chocolate (calculate toxic doses)
I used to take the Christmas Eve shift when I worked emergency medicine. One night we had approximately five different patients (mostly Labradors and golden retrievers) who had eaten a present under the tree - box, wrapping, chocolates, or a plate-full of chocolate chip cookies (not as serious regarding the chocolate but didn’t want her to develop pancreatitis), or gotten into the holiday chocolate dish. Fortunately, no one was seriously ill beyond some body tremors and all of them successfully were able to vomit up the treats when vomiting was induced. When you’re an emergency vet you get a bit of a strange sense of humor, and I still remember how funny it was that our treatment area smelled delicious and chocolatey all evening. Chocolate is the most commonly reported toxin in dogs and second most common in cats.
The main toxic principles in chocolate are the methylxanthines theobromine and caffeine which work together to create the toxic signs: digestive upset, restlessness/ agitation, elevated body temperature, elevated heart rate and potentially seizures.
Grapes and Raisins: (grapes, raisins, Zante currants, and tamarinds – similar mechanism to grapes)
There are no reports of toxicity from grape juice, jelly, leaves, grape seed oil, grape seed extracts, grape pomace found in some pet foods, or wine. True currants (genus Ribes) are not toxic to animals.
Ingestion can cause digestive upset, increased thirst, tremors, and in some individuals the condition progresses to kidney failure to the point where the kidneys stop making urine. One theory as to why grapes are toxic is that they contain tartaric acid. Acids are poorly excreted in dogs and it would appear that some individuals have less ability to excrete acids than others. This type of acid can be retained in the kidney and cause damage. Ingestion of large amounts of Cream of Tartar appears to cause similar kidney damage effects. Other potential toxic components: mycotoxins, pesticides, salicylate-like chemicals in the fruit, tannins, flavonoids or high monosaccharide content.
There is individual variability in sensitivity to grape ingestion, approximately 50-88% of dogs never develop clinical signs or elevated blood kidney values after ingestion of grapes/raisins. One thing to use to advantage is that tartaric acid slows down the emptying of the stomach, so even if it’s been more than 4 hours and up to 12 hours it is still worth your vet inducing vomiting (provided the pet is stable).
Household cleaners: There are so many safe and natural cleaning products that are healthier around people and pets, so I really suggest avoiding strong chemical in general. Most surface cleaners are not toxic and may only cause mild digestive upset if ingested. Be very careful with use and storage of bleach, drain, toilet bowl, and oven cleaner. Call poison control with any strong and concentrated disinfectant exposure. Many are caustic and should not be vomited back up.
Lilies: Every spring I’m freaking out because of all the stores carrying bouquets containing lilies (and never a warning sign anywhere). Never bring them into your house if you have pets. This is the number one reported toxin in cats, and it causes acute and often untreatable kidney failure. As a side note: Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) are a very common flower in bouquets and are mildly toxic to cats and cause minor digestive upsets but not organ damage.
Macadamia nuts: Only dogs seem to be sensitive to macadamia nuts and the reason for this is unknown. Clinical signs tend to occur within the first 12 hours of ingestion and include weakness, depression, vomiting, ataxia (uncoordinated walk), tremors, and fever. I’ve only seen one dog with this condition, and she was very weak and couldn’t walk. With supportive care she was walking, and back to normal the next day. The lowest reported toxic dose is 2.4 g/kg. So, approximately 11 grams is toxic to a 10 lb dog. (5-7 nuts = 15 grams)
Metaldehyde (slug and snail bait) typically cause tremors or seizures. Treatment includes inducing vomiting if they aren’t actively seizing, activated charcoal, IV fluids, sedation and anesthesia as indicated; and if the body temperature is elevated, placing towel wrapped ice packs around them.
PLEASE do not use this in your yard, there are natural products and deterrents that are much safer (although blood meal products can still can produce problems if ingested in large quantity). There is confusion in some of the reports that the aerosol from this product is toxic after vomiting, but that is zinc phosphide poisoning (don’t use this one either). Do not induce further vomiting at home unless explicitly instructed by a vet, as this can lead to aspiration or worsening symptoms.
Onions (garlic, chives, leeks, shallots) are the second most commonly reported toxin in cats. Please look at labels and make sure you aren’t giving a food that contains even powdered onion or garlic (for example meat flavored baby food or soup/stew). Powdered products are more concentrated and toxic. In cats, the toxic dose of onion is 5 g/kg. Onset of illness depends on size of ingestion and can take from 24 hours to several days. Ingestion of any amount of Allium spp. causes red blood cell damage in dogs and cats, but clinical illness only occurs when loss of red blood cell function exceeds the compensating/regenerating mechanisms. There are a wide variety of symptoms including digestive upset, to liver and kidney symptoms, jaundice, extreme weakness, bloody urine, and trouble breathing. Allium spp. can cause breakdown of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia), interfere with normal clotting, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), occasionally low blood pressure, low levels of hemoglobin.
Err on the side of caution and seek medical guidance for your dog regardless of the amount ingested. I would be extra cautious with cats and get care in a full service/ER veterinary hospital. After initial treatment, the vet will monitor red blood cell counts, kidney values and evaluate samples for hemolysis (break down of red blood cells).
Recreational mushrooms are gaining use across the country, and as such there are many calls to Pet Poison helpline. Symptoms can include paresis (can’t walk), seizures, vestibular (head tilt, abnormal eye movement, falling over), paddling. Symptoms can occur 30 minutes to a few hours after ingestion and last up to 24 hours. When a pet is comatose or has severe neurologic signs, vomiting should not be induced. They need (anti-vomiting medication, activated charcoal if it is possible to safely place a stomach or nasogastric tube, intravenous fluids, symptomatic and supportive care – obviously, this is what your vet hospital would be doing).
Rising Bread Dough: This may not sound serious, but the animal’s body heat will cause the dough to expand much larger than it normally would. In addition, ethanol produced during the rising process will cause toxicosis (may see incoordination, unable to walk or stand, irregular heart rhythm, nervous system depression, needless to say, this dog will look very ill). This obstruction will cause severe pain and abdominal bloating. If you have a hungry dog capable of getting on the counter, be careful of where you set your rising bread and rolls.
Rodenticides** I would always recommend urgent treatment and bring in any product so your vet can know how to treat your pet. Early in my career, I had a beautiful lab patient who ate rat bait with warfarin in it. The guardians knew he had eaten it, but he didn’t seem sick, and a week later I saw him as an emergency patient. He was vomiting blood and we couldn’t save him. If we can catch these guys within a few hours, at a minimum, treatment involves inducing vomiting, when that’s finished up give an anti-vomiting injection, give oral activated charcoal (most of the big guys will eat it readily mixed with canned dog food), and start vitamin K therapy if dealing with an anticoagulant. More serious is Brodifacoum – which is extremely toxic, “superwarfarin,” 100 times greater anticoagulant effect than warfarin and can cause severe bleeding risks that can last weeks to months.
Cholecalciferol (vit D3) is used as a non-anticoagulant rodenticide which can cause vomiting, appetite loss, weakness, increased thirst and urination, and mineralization of soft tissues (and consequence based on what organ is affected). Another kind of rat bait contains Bromethalin which causes neurologic signs and seizures. Treatment is based on general stability and alertness. They may need initial seizure control and intravenous medicines before any chance to induce vomiting.
Zinc Phosphide ingestion combines with stomach acid to create phosphine gas. If you find that your pet has ingested this poison, call either emergency helpline, your veterinarian or Vet ER immediately and follow their instructions. If instructed to induce vomiting, you will be instructed to go outdoors, because the gases from the vomitus are poisonous to people. If you are driving to ER, open all windows of your car in case your dog vomits. Please don't just show up at the veterinarian clinic - call ahead so they can advise you of whether you need to go to ER (call ahead in this situation as well so they are prepared).
Salmon Poisoning: Do not feed raw salmon or trout (including smoked salmon/trout) to your pet. Notice what they are getting into at the beach or river edge. Nanophyetus salmincola is a tiny flatworm (fluke) that can carry a dangerous bacteria called Neorickettsia helminthoeca in some fish. Ingestion can result in high fever, lymph node swelling, digestive symptoms and extreme illness. Sometimes a diagnosis can be made from a fecal sample, so remember to bring one in to your vet for examination.
Spoiled fruit under the tree: Keep your pet out of the yard, pick up the fruit, avoid an ER visit. Over ingestion of rotting apples for example, can cause ethanol toxicoses (vomiting, uncoordinated walking, unable to rise, hyperthermia, possibly seizure and death). Do not make this pet vomit, this pet needs to go to ER.
Even if the fruit is fresh - peach (apricots, cherries, and plums) pits can cause choking or blockages and contain a form of cyanide. The leaves and stems of peach trees are toxic too. Ideally go to the veterinarian to get a pit vomited up if your pet is within 1-2 hours of ingestion and your pet is considered large enough. Small pets might not safely vomit up the pit and may need endoscopy or surgery.
Tobacco products: Nicotine products include pouches, patches, cigarettes, cigars. Signs can develop within 15-45 minutes of ingestion and include weakness, twitching, accelerated heart rate and arrest, respiratory paralysis, salivation, vomiting and diarrhea.
20-100mg minimum lethal dose in dogs and cats
Nicotine pouches:
Low / Light: 1.5 to 3 mg per pouch (ex. standard ZYN or on!)
Regular / Medium: 6 mg per pouch (common for daily users)
Strong / Extra: 9 to12mg
High-Strength / Extreme: range from 15 mg up to 47 mg+ per pouch
Nicorette patches range from 7 to 25mg
Cigarettes contain 13 to 30mg (butts contain approximately 25% of the total nicotine).
An average packed bowl of pipe tobacco contains between 30 to 50 mg of total nicotine.
Do not induce vomiting in an agitated/symptomatic animal, they may have a seizure. Activated charcoal has been demonstrated to absorb nicotine.
Vitamin D3: Please be very careful with this supplement. Take it directly yourself and don’t leave it in a vitamin dish, pick up any dropped capsules, and follow instructions carefully on pet products (the liquid supplement dose for pets is dosed by the drop). I’ve had a few cat patients who have eaten a gel capsule that the guardian left on the table or dropped, and they do not survive this high dose.
Xylitol (may also appear as "birch sugar" or "wood sugar"): This sugar substitute is in some chewable supplements, toothpaste, mouthwash, breath strips and mints, breath sprays (Binaca, Dentyne), gum (Trident, Orbit, Ice Breakers, Pur gum), nasal sprays, some peanut butters. Please check labels of everything you bring into your home. I recently noticed that my natural toothpaste contains xylitol. 3 out of the 4 natural toothpaste brands I examined included xylitol on the ingredient list (Burts Bees Purely White fluoride-free toothpaste did not contain xylitol). Don’t leave bits of toothpaste or mouthwash containing xylitol in your sink if you have a cat that licks the sink. I’m in general, non-emergency practice, and the majority of pets I see who have ingested xylitol chewing gum do fine with just vomiting up the xylitol as long as we catch them within an hour of ingestion. Anti-nausea medication and activated charcoal (although activated charcoal does not reliably absorb xylitol) are often given after. However, if you discover or think your pet has ingested xylitol, I strongly urge a full-service ER clinic because if it is in the system too long there is persistent hypoglycemia that requires intravenous dextrose, and very close monitoring of electrolytes and other blood work. This toxin can actually destroy the liver if left untreated and these pets are very ill, need intensive care and monitoring, and may die.
Pets getting into their own medications: There are several forms of pet medicine that are flavored chewable products. This creates a hazard if your pet gets into the recent medication delivery from your online pharmacy or knocks the pill vial off the counter. Please be mindful of getting pills put away in the cupboard right away after administering them. Carprovet and Apoquel are top accidental ingestions.
JAK Inhibitors: If your pet has consumed an overdose of Apoquel, please get them right over to a full-service ER or plan on them transferring there after being stabilized at your veterinarian office. Please call your vet clinic first to make sure they are set up to deal effectively with a very serious and potentially fatal situation. This class of drug is known as a JAK inhibitor. Overdose can cause what is called a cytokine storm and a degranulation of mast cells. These cells release inflammatory mediators like histamine, tryptase, and heparin into surrounding tissues leading to multiple organ injury – heart, nervous system, gastrointestinal, blood changes, eye damage.
Another JAK inhibitor is an eczema/vitiligo cream called Opzelura. The scenario, cream applied and pet licks the skin or pet finds the tube and eats it. Caution and outcomes as above.
As pets age, the types of medication accessible to them shifts to quality-of-life medicines. Overdoses in older pets tend to skew towards Ibuprofen, Carprofen, Galliprant or Pimobendan (heart medication). So, once again be thoughtful about how you store medications for seniors.
Pets getting into your medications: To avoid losing precious time, the best plan is to call one of the pet poison resources and follow their advice. Get all medications put up into the cupboard right away. Don’t leave them on the kitchen counter, in your unattended purse/shopping bag, or in the delivery wrapper by the door.
Other toxins to be aware of:
Expandable foaming glue containing methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI): examples are • Original Gorilla Glue (and many polyurethane variants)• Elmer's Glue-All Max• Polyurethane reactive hot-melt (PUR) adhesives • Engineered wood binders. When a dog ingests a small amount, it might only cause mild digestive upset, but a larger volume will expand and obstruct the stomach and intestine. This is an emergency. X-rays can help determine the extent of obstruction and surgery is needed to remove this mass. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=5276353&sx=328170547&n=1
Bone or blood meal used in the garden can cause digestive or pancreas upset, or a blockage if ingested in large amounts. Some plant bulbs dusted with bone meal may be enticing to pets and many of these can be toxic if ingested.
Cats are more sensitive to pyrethrins than dogs. Products containing concentrations of 5-10% are a problem, however most household sprays, flea sprays and shampoos usually contain less than 1% concentration, so are usually considered safe. Please, never apply a canine spot-on pyrethrin/pyrethroid based insecticide on a cat (or allow your cat to lick a dog with a recent application). This is very toxic to cats and will lead to digestive upset, tremors, seizures and breathing problems. With supportive care, treatment of tremors, aggressive bathing to remove the toxin (after the cat is stable), the prognosis is usually good although your pet may have symptoms up to 4 days after application.
Home made playdough contains a lot of salt, some dogs will get salt toxicity after eating it. (Other forms of salt toxicity include ingestion of sea water and salt used for melting ice.)
Insect Bait Stations: the plastic as a foreign body obstruction is more of a concern than the small amount of toxin in the device, however there may be concern if several baits are consumed or if the dog has the MDR-1 gene mutation (Collies and Collie mix breeds for example can carry this mutation) and does not properly detoxify certain drugs.
Ingestion of a single silica gel pack is usually not a problem. Some gel packs found in beef jerky or rawhide bags are actually oxygen absorbers and may contain iron. There would only be a problem if a large number of these packs were ingested.
Ethylene glycol: Anti-freeze poisoning is much less common these days due to public awareness and bittering agents added. Old containers may still be stored in sheds. Please take care when disposing of potentially toxic items.
Some final thoughts: Involve the family and make a team effort to keep your beloved pets safe from accidental toxin ingestion. If you know your pet is indiscriminate about what they eat, watch them very carefully and keep all toxins locked away. If their dietary indiscretion is extreme, use a basket muzzle when you go out. Some pets may have endocrine issues such as overactive adrenal glands (Cushing disease) or hypothyroid disease, leading to an increase in appetite. These possibilities can be ruled out with routine blood tests.
References
Veterinary Information Network: Dangerous Foods Revised: November 18, 2025.
Veterinary Information Network: Top 20 Poisons Affecting Small Animal Patients Parts I & II, Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference 2014, Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC, DABT
Chewy.com CE Presentation: A Year in Review: Toxin Trends from Pet Poison Helpline. Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT April 9, 2026
