Human medications
Pain relievers, antidepressants, stimulants, heart and blood-pressure drugs, cold medicines, sleep aids, vitamins, supplements, topical fluorouracil, and other prescriptions can cause serious poisoning.
DOG + CAT HEALTH · POISON PREVENTION · REVIEWED AUGUST 16, 2026
Poisons &
household hazards.
What to keep out of reach, why species and dose matter, and how to respond quickly when a pet may have been exposed.
1
Separate and secure. Move your pet away from the substance without exposing yourself. Prevent other animals from entering the area.
2
Call immediately. Contact your veterinarian, an emergency hospital, or an animal poison-control service. Do not wait for signs.
3
Bring the evidence. Keep the package, label, plant sample, photo, or vomited material safely contained. Estimate the amount and time.
THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE
“No symptoms yet” does not mean “no danger.”
Toxicity depends on the exact substance, concentration, amount, route of exposure, time since exposure, species, body weight, age, and medical history. Advice that was safe for another animal—or for a person—may be dangerous for your pet.
This page is a prevention guide, not a complete poison list or a tool for deciding whether an exposure is safe. If you are unsure, call and let a veterinary professional calculate the risk.
COMMON HAZARD GROUPS
Danger can be ordinary-looking.
The examples below are not exhaustive. “Natural,” “organic,” “pet-friendly,” and child-resistant packaging do not guarantee safety for every animal.
Foods and drinks
Chocolate, xylitol, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, alcohol, caffeine, macadamia nuts, raw yeast dough, high-fat scraps, and moldy food are common concerns. Product ingredients matter.
Plants and bouquets
True lilies and daylilies are an emergency for cats. Sago palms, oleander, azaleas, autumn crocus, cyclamen, tulip or daffodil bulbs, and many other plants can also be dangerous.
Cleaning and home products
Concentrated cleaners, detergents, essential oils, batteries, nicotine products, cannabis products, mothballs, paints, solvents, adhesives, and some cosmetics deserve secure storage.
Garage and yard
Antifreeze, de-icers, fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides, slug bait, compost, mushrooms, and blue-green algae can create urgent or delayed illness.
Pet products used incorrectly
A pet medicine can become toxic when the wrong species receives it, too much is given, products are combined, or a dog consumes an entire package of flavored chews. Never apply a dog-only flea product to a cat.
KITCHEN + PANTRY
Check ingredients—not just the product name.
Darker chocolate and concentrated cocoa generally contain more methylxanthines, but any exposure should be assessed using the product, amount, and pet’s weight.
This sweetener may appear in sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods, toothpaste, supplements, and some medications. It can cause dangerous low blood sugar and liver injury in dogs.
They can cause acute kidney injury in dogs, and a reliably safe amount has not been established. Call after any suspected exposure.
Fresh, cooked, dried, powdered, or concentrated forms can damage red blood cells. Repeated smaller exposures may also matter.
Alcohol-containing drinks or products can poison pets. Rising yeast dough can expand and produce alcohol inside the stomach.
Moldy food, fatty scraps, bones, skewers, corn cobs, strings, wrappers, and snack bags can cause poisoning, obstruction, injury, or suffocation.
SPECIES-SPECIFIC EMERGENCY
Cats and lilies: treat contact as urgent.
True lilies in the Lilium group and daylilies in the Hemerocallis group can cause severe kidney injury in cats. Petals, leaves, stems, pollen, and vase water may all create risk. A cat that brushes against pollen and later grooms it can be exposed.
Do not wait for vomiting, lethargy, or appetite loss. Remove access, prevent grooming if you can do so safely, and call a veterinarian or animal poison-control service immediately. Bring the plant or a clear photo for identification.
HOME · GARAGE · GARDEN
Secure the places pets explore.
Bathroom and bedroom
Lock medicines, vitamins, topical creams, nicotine, cannabis, cosmetics, essential oils, and personal-care products. Purses and overnight bags are common access points.
Laundry and cleaning areas
Store detergent pods, concentrates, bleach, disinfectants, dryer products, and drain or oven cleaners behind closed, latched doors. Keep pets away until surfaces are dry and ventilated as directed.
Garage and driveway
Antifreeze and fuels can be dangerous in small amounts. Repair leaks, absorb spills immediately, restrict access, and store containers upright in secure cabinets.
Yard and garden
Keep pets away during application of lawn or pest products and follow the label’s re-entry time. Prevent access to rodent bait, mushrooms, compost, cocoa mulch, fertilizers, bulbs, and treated standing water.
WHAT TO DO—AND NOT DO
Good intentions can complicate treatment.
- Call while the product and pet are in front of you.
- Know your pet’s approximate weight, age, health conditions, and current medicines.
- Report the exact product, strength or concentration, amount possibly missing, exposure route, and time.
- Follow professional instructions for skin or eye rinsing and safe transport.
- Ask for a case number and give it to the treating veterinary hospital.
- Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian or veterinary toxicology professional directs you.
- Do not give hydrogen peroxide, salt, milk, oil, charcoal, food, or another “antidote” on your own.
- Do not force water or put anything in the mouth of a weak, seizing, unconscious, or breathing-impaired pet.
- Do not rely on an internet dose chart, social-media answer, or a pet that still appears normal.
- Do not discard the packaging until the case is resolved.
GO TO AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL NOW
Breathing trouble, collapse, seizures, severe weakness, or major bleeding cannot wait.
Other possible signs include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, tremors, agitation, unusual sleepiness, stumbling, abnormal heart rate, pale/blue/brown/yellow gums, facial swelling, sudden thirst or urination changes, and loss of appetite.
Signs vary by toxin and may be delayed. If your pet is unstable, leave for emergency care while another person calls ahead when possible.
Review the emergency guide →A FIVE-MINUTE HOME AUDIT
Reduce the chance of the next emergency.
01Move all human and pet medications into a high, latched or locked cabinet.02Check every houseplant, bouquet, yard plant, bulb, and mulch product by exact name.03Secure trash, compost, purses, backpacks, guest luggage, counters, and bedside tables.04Separate pets during cleaning, pesticide use, home repairs, parties, and food preparation.05Save your veterinarian, nearest emergency hospital, and both poison-control numbers in every caregiver’s phone.06Keep current weights, medication lists, carriers, leashes, and emergency transportation ready.
PRIMARY SOURCES + LOOKUP TOOLS
Verify the exact substance.
Plant and product formulations change. Use these resources and the package label, then call a professional for a pet-specific assessment.
U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationPotentially dangerous items for pets ↗U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood, medication, lily, and household dangers ↗ASPCA Animal Poison ControlPeople foods to avoid feeding pets ↗ASPCA Plant DatabaseSearch toxic and non-toxic plants by species ↗American Veterinary Medical AssociationHousehold hazards guidance ↗ASPCA Poison Control24-hour veterinary toxicology support ↗Pet Poison Helpline24-hour poison assistance ↗
Responding to an exposure before signs appear
A poison assessment depends on substance, strength, amount, timing, route, and species. The same product can have different consequences in different animals. Preserve packaging or a photograph safely and contact a veterinarian or animal poison service for specific instructions. Do not wait for illness or assume that inducing vomiting is always useful. Some exposures need immediate intervention, while an unsuitable home response can increase injury or aspiration risk.
Prepare a concise emergency handoff
Give the care team the species, main change, start time, associated signs, possible exposures, and current medicines. Describe whether the animal can breathe comfortably, respond, stand, and pass urine when relevant. The team can then advise on safe handling and transport. Bring packaging or records if readily available, but do not delay care to find every detail. Call ahead when practical, and confirm that the service can care for the species and the kind of emergency involved.
Know what is normal for this individual
The most useful home observations compare an animal with its own usual pattern. Record intake, output, weight where practical, activity, and comfortable function at consistent times. Normal variations differ between species and life stages. A brief record can reveal a trend that is difficult to remember accurately or reproduce during an appointment. It also helps assess treatment response. Sudden serious changes still need immediate advice; collecting a perfect record should never delay care.
Make dosing instructions precise
Drug name, strength, amount, route, interval, and patient identification must all agree with the current written plan. Liquid concentration is especially important because a different strength changes the volume required. Use the prescribed measuring device and a shared log to avoid duplicate administration. Ask for a demonstration if the route or handling is unfamiliar. When a label conflicts with what you remember from a conversation, clarify with the team before guessing; small wording or measurement differences can change the actual dose substantially.
Why care has several parts
Toxic exposure is assessed using the substance, strength, amount, route, and time involved, along with the animal's species and condition. Keep the packaging or a photograph available if it is safe to do so. Different substances need different responses; inducing vomiting or giving food, oil, charcoal, or another home remedy can be harmful in some situations. Contact a veterinary service or appropriate animal poison service promptly for substance-specific instructions, even if the animal has not yet developed obvious signs.
Why care has several parts
Fluid treatment is tailored to the cause of fluid loss, circulation, electrolytes, and organ function. Drinking some water does not prove that an animal has corrected a significant deficit. Conversely, giving more fluid is not always safer, especially when certain heart or kidney problems are present. The team may need to monitor body weight, urine output, breathing, and blood values while providing support. Home fluid administration should only follow a specific veterinary plan with practical instruction and a reassessment schedule.