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My dog ate chocolate! Number to call 24/7 in case of pet poison emergency
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Whether it's the middle of the night or Christmas Day or New Year's Eve, the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center maintains a hotline to call in case your pet ate something toxic. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call (888) 426-4435. For a flat fee of $60, you have immediate access to a veterinarian who will talk you through the emergency. The vet will ask for medical information about your pet, such as age, weight, medical history, what your pet was exposed to, and the amount that was ingested, if known.
The vet will help you determine if it's a low risk situation that you can manage at home, or if you should take your pet to an emergency pet clinic.
There is no additional fee if you need to call back on the same case.
During the holidays, it's especially important to keep an eye on our pets so they don't eat the bowl of truffles set out on the coffee table or try to sneak a sip our champagne.
Here are a list of substances that are poisonous to pets:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Macadamia nuts
- Fatty foods
- Onion, onion powder
- Garlic
- Raisins and grapes
- Persimmons
- Wild mushrooms
- Chives
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Anything with the sweetener, Xylitol
- Moldy or spoiled foods (duh!)
- Christmas tree water
- MIstletoe
- Holly
- 17 common plants (including lilies, marijuana and tulip bulbs, etc.)
- Electrical cords
- Ribbons or tinsel
- Glass ornaments
- Batteries
- Antifreeze
- Tobacco
- Liquid potpourri
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait
- Fabric softener sheets
- Mothballs
- post-1982 pennies (they contain high levels of zinc)
- Human medications and prescription drugs can be lethal, even if small doses (vitamins, diet pills, pain killers, cold medicines, anti-depressants, anti-cancer drugs)
- Toxic animals (toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions)
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost piles, fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming pool treatment supplies
- Fly baits containing methomyl
- Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde
According to the ASPCA, poinsettia may cause an upset stomach and vomiting in dogs, but it is not fatal.
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