Is it safe for my pet?
Search foods, plants, medicines and household items that can harm dogs and cats.
41 matches
Nothing found. That does not mean it is safe: when in doubt, ask a vet.
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Alcohol (beer, wine, spirits, alcoholic food)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, drowsiness, staggering, low body temperature, breathing problems, coma
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Keep your pet warm and calm while you travel to the clinic.
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Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
EmergencySigns: Stumbling as if drunk, vomiting, excessive thirst, kidney failure; can be fatal within hours
What to do: Contact a vet immediately, even if your pet seems fine. Treatment works best in the first hours.
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Button batteries
EmergencySigns: Drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, not eating, burns inside the mouth or stomach
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Batteries can burn through tissue within hours, even if your pet seems fine.
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Foxglove (Digitalis)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, abnormal heart rhythm, weakness, collapse
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Foxglove affects the heart and can be fatal.
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Lilies (true lilies and daylilies)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy, acute kidney failure; even pollen or vase water can cause harm
What to do: Contact a vet immediately, even for a tiny amount. Kidney damage can start within 24 to 72 hours, and early treatment helps. Do not keep lilies in a home with cats.
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Nicotine (cigarettes, e-liquid, nicotine patches)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, drooling, fast heart rate, tremors, collapse; can be fatal
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. E-liquid is very concentrated and dangerous even in small amounts.
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Oleander
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, collapse; can be fatal
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Every part of oleander is toxic, including dried leaves and water from vases.
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Paracetamol (acetaminophen)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, drooling, swollen face and paws, brown or blue-tinged gums, liver damage
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Cats are especially sensitive, and even one tablet can be fatal for a cat.
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PTFE and non-stick coatings (fumes from overheated pans)
EmergencySigns: Sudden breathing difficulty, lethargy, death; birds are extremely sensitive
What to do: Move the bird to fresh air at once and contact a vet immediately. Ventilate the room, and do not use non-stick pans while a bird is at home.
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Rodent poison (rat and mouse bait)
EmergencySigns: Bleeding, bruising, blood in urine or stool, weakness; symptoms can be delayed
What to do: Contact a vet immediately and bring the packaging with the active ingredient if you have it.
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Sago palm (Cycas)
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, bleeding, liver failure, seizures; the seeds are the most toxic part
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Sago palm poisoning can be fatal even if your pet seems well at first.
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Wild mushrooms
EmergencySigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, jaundice, liver failure, seizures, coma (depends on the species)
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. If it is safe, bring a sample or photo of the mushroom.
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Xylitol (sugar-free gum, sweets, some peanut butter)
EmergencySigns: Weakness, vomiting, collapse, seizures, sudden drop in blood sugar, liver failure
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Xylitol can lower blood sugar quickly and damage the liver.
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Yew (Taxus)
EmergencySigns: Sudden death, trembling, breathing difficulty, heart problems; often with little warning
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Even small amounts can be fatal.
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Azalea and rhododendron
High riskSigns: Drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, low blood pressure, coma
What to do: Contact a vet right away. Symptoms can appear within hours.
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Bleach and phenol-based disinfectants
High riskSigns: Drooling, burns to the mouth and throat, vomiting, breathing difficulty, liver damage
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. If your pet is calm, rinse its mouth with water, and do not make it vomit.
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Caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks, caffeine tablets)
High riskSigns: Restlessness, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, tremors, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet right away. Caffeine can be dangerous even in small amounts for small pets.
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Cannabis (marijuana, edibles, CBD products containing THC)
High riskSigns: Drowsiness, unsteady walking, slow heart rate, urinary incontinence, dilated pupils, tremors
What to do: Contact a vet. Tell them the product and amount if you know them, because edibles may also contain chocolate or xylitol.
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Chocolate (especially dark and baking chocolate)
High riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, fast heart rate, tremors, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet right away, even if your pet seems fine. Note how much was eaten and what type of chocolate it was.
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Essential oils (tea tree, eucalyptus, citrus, peppermint)
High riskSigns: Drooling, vomiting, weakness, incoordination, liver damage; cats are especially sensitive
What to do: Contact a vet. Do not use essential oils near pets, and do not make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to.
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Grapes and raisins
High riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, sudden kidney failure
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Even a small amount can be dangerous, and the harmful dose differs from pet to pet.
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Ibuprofen and naproxen (NSAIDs)
High riskSigns: Vomiting (may contain blood), black stools, stomach ulcers, kidney failure, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet right away. Never give human painkillers to pets unless a vet has told you to.
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Iron supplements (human vitamins containing iron)
High riskSigns: Vomiting (may be bloody), diarrhoea, lethargy, black stools, liver and gut damage
What to do: Contact a vet immediately, and keep the bottle so the vet knows the dose.
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Lead (paint flakes, fishing weights, some old toys)
High riskSigns: Vomiting, weakness, seizures, blindness, behaviour changes
What to do: Contact a vet. Ask about testing if your pet may have chewed on something containing lead.
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Macadamia nuts
High riskSigns: Weakness, tremors, vomiting, high temperature, swollen legs, inability to walk
What to do: Contact a vet. Symptoms usually start within 12 hours and often pass, but a vet should still check your pet.
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Mistletoe
High riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, slow heart rate, low blood pressure, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet right away. Both the berries and the leaves are toxic.
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Naphthalene (mothballs)
High riskSigns: Vomiting, drooling, anaemia, pale or yellow gums, tremors, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet right away. Do not use mothballs anywhere your pets can reach.
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Onions, garlic, leeks and chives
High riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, pale gums, fast breathing (anaemia from damaged red blood cells)
What to do: Contact a vet. Damage can appear days after eating, so keep watching your pet even if symptoms are mild.
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Raw yeast dough
High riskSigns: Bloated and painful abdomen, vomiting, alcohol poisoning from fermentation, possible stomach rupture
What to do: Contact a vet immediately. Dough can keep expanding in the stomach.
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Acorns and oak
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain; kidney damage after large amounts
What to do: Contact a vet, especially if your pet ate many acorns over time.
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Avocado (leaves, fruit, pit)
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea; in birds, breathing difficulty and fluid around the heart
What to do: Contact a vet, especially for birds and rabbits, where even small amounts can be fatal.
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Cooked bones (poultry, fish, pork chops)
Moderate riskSigns: Choking, vomiting, blood in stool, constipation, intestinal blockage or perforation
What to do: Contact a vet if your pet has swallowed bones, even if it seems fine. Watch for vomiting or straining.
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Daffodil and tulip bulbs
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, abdominal pain; bulbs are the most toxic part
What to do: Contact a vet if your pet ate bulbs or flowers. Bulbs can cause more serious problems.
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English ivy
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, drooling, abdominal pain; breathing problems in rare cases
What to do: Contact a vet if symptoms appear. If breathing becomes difficult, call a vet right away.
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Nutmeg
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors, fast heart rate, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet. Nutmeg poisoning can be serious even after a small amount.
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Pothos and philodendron
Moderate riskSigns: Mouth and throat irritation, drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting, swelling
What to do: Contact a vet if your pet chewed the plant. Rinse the mouth with water, and call a vet urgently if swelling affects breathing.
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Raw meat, fish and eggs (Salmonella and E. coli risk)
Moderate riskSigns: Diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, lethargy; can also spread to people
What to do: Contact a vet if symptoms appear. Wash your hands and surfaces after handling raw food.
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Salt and salty snacks
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst and urination, tremors, seizures
What to do: Contact a vet, especially if your pet ate a large amount or has no fresh water available.
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Stone fruit pits (cherry, plum, peach, apricot)
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, shock; pits contain cyanide
What to do: Contact a vet right away if your pet chewed or swallowed pits. Whole pits can also block the gut.
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Tomato plant (leaves and stems)
Moderate riskSigns: Vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, dilated pupils, weakness
What to do: Contact a vet if your pet chewed on the plant. Ripe fruit is much less toxic.
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Poinsettia
Low riskSigns: Mild mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting (usually mild)
What to do: Contact a vet if vomiting continues or your pet seems unwell.
Please note: This list is general guidance and is not complete. It is not veterinary advice. If your pet may have eaten or touched something harmful, do not wait for symptoms: call a vet or an animal poison helpline.