Toxicology & poisoning treatment

When to seek emergency care for toxin ingestion

The single most important rule with toxin exposure is this: do not wait for symptoms before seeking care. With most toxins, treatment is significantly more effective — and significantly less expensive — when administered before the toxin is fully absorbed. A pet that arrives at the ER showing no symptoms yet is in a far better position than one that arrives already seizing or in liver failure.

What to bring when you come in

If at all possible, bring the packaging of whatever your pet ingested. This is one of the most helpful things you can do — it allows our team to immediately identify the exact substance, concentration, and ingredients rather than working from a description. A photo of the label works if you cannot bring the package itself.

Also have ready: your pet's approximate weight, an estimate of how much was consumed, and how long ago the exposure occurred.

Common toxins we treat

Chocolate toxicity

Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which are toxic to dogs. The amount varies significantly by type: baking chocolate contains roughly 10 times the theobromine of milk chocolate. Signs of chocolate toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, excessive urination, racing heart, muscle tremors, and seizures. Treatment depends on the amount ingested and may include inducing vomiting, activated charcoal, IV fluids, and medications to control heart rate and seizures.

Xylitol poisoning

Xylitol causes a rapid, severe release of insulin in dogs, leading to life-threatening low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). In higher doses, it can also cause acute liver failure. Signs include sudden weakness, wobbling, collapse, and seizures — sometimes within 15–30 minutes of ingestion. Xylitol is in more products than most owners realize: some brands of peanut butter, sugar-free candies, gum, mints, vitamins, certain medications, and baked goods. Always check labels.

Grape and raisin toxicity

Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. The toxic compound has not been definitively identified, which means there is no established "safe" amount — some dogs have developed kidney failure after eating just a few grapes, while others have eaten larger quantities without obvious effect. Because the response is unpredictable, any grape or raisin ingestion should be treated as a potential emergency.

Rat poison (rodenticides)

Most common rodenticides are anticoagulants — they prevent blood clotting. Because they deplete stored clotting factors, symptoms (internal or external bleeding) may not appear for 3–5 days after ingestion. By the time a pet is visibly ill, the situation is often critical. If you know or suspect your pet accessed a rodenticide, seek care immediately regardless of whether they appear fine.

Lily toxicity in cats

True lilies — Easter lily, tiger lily, daylily, and Asiatic lily — are severely toxic to cats. Even small exposures, including licking pollen off fur or drinking water from a vase containing lilies, can cause acute kidney failure. This is one of the most serious plant toxicities in veterinary medicine. If you have cats in the home, lilies should not be there.

What to expect during treatment

Treatment for toxin ingestion depends on the substance, the dose, and the time elapsed. For recent ingestions (typically within 1–2 hours), inducing vomiting is often the first step when appropriate. This is followed by activated charcoal in some cases to prevent further absorption. IV fluid support, blood monitoring, and symptomatic treatment are tailored to the specific toxin.

Frequently asked questions