01502 578999
Pound Corner • Wangford • NR34 8RS
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NEVER “WATCH AND WAIT”. If you suspect your pet’s been poisoned CONTACT YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY.

What to do if you think your pet has been poisoned

  1. Stay calm and move your pet away from the source of poison.
  2. Contact your vet immediately - inform them when, where, and how the poisoning happened. If possible, take the packaging, plant or substance to the vet, but only if you can do this safely.
  3. Follow your vet's advice – they will tell you what the situation is depending on the poison and how much of it your pet has had.

How to help your pet while waiting for your vet

While you're waiting for the vet:

  • Don't attempt to treat or medicate pets yourself. Some medicines for humans and other animals may be poisonous to animals.
  • Never attempt to make pets vomit. Don't use salt water as it's extremely dangerous.
  • If the skin or fur is contaminated, wash with a mild shampoo and water, then rinse well and dry. Wear protective gloves and remove the substance from the skin if poisoning is through contact.
  • Get your pet to fresh air if the poisoning is primarily from noxious fumes or gas, but don’t put yourself at risk.

Not sure if it’s a poison? Call the Animal Poisons Line on 01202 509 000
Open 24 hours a day.

The Animal Poisons Line is run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service and is the only 24 hour specialised emergency telephone service in the UK dedicated to helping pet owners.

To visit their website: https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk/

When you call, you will need to have your credit card ready, as payment will be taken via an automated service. £35 is charged 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and £45 is charged at all other times including bank holidays. You will then be put directly through to a specialist, who will carry out a thorough case assessment and advise whether or not your pet needs a visit to the vet.

Before you call – you will need to have as many of the following details ready as possible.

  • Your pet’s details: Name, age, breed and weight
  • What your pet has eaten or been exposed to? For example the drug or product/brand name.
  • How has your pet absorbed the potential toxin? Have they eaten, inhaled or has it been on their skin.
  • How long ago was your pet exposed to the potential toxin? Estimated minutes, hours.
  • How much of the potential toxin have they been exposed to? Unit of measure and estimated amount.
  • Is this the first time your pet has been exposed to this toxin? Has this happened before, in the past? When?

If you are advised to see your vet and are one of our clients please call 01502 578999. Make sure to tell the vet you have spoken to the Animal Poisons Line.

Some common poisons - inhaled, swallowed or contact with skin

  • Slug and snail pellets – Metaldehyde is a common ingredient of slug and snail baits or pellets
  • Ant powder / gels
  • Chocolate. ... / theobromine
  • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Rodent poisons ('rodenticides')
  • Grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants
  • Vitamin D
  • Onions, garlic, leeks & chives
  • Alcoholic drinks, some mouthwashes, rotting/fermenting fruits, hand sanitizer
  • Toad toxicity – Within minutes of licking, picking up or eating a toad your dog will be foaming at the mouth due to a venom toads give out through their skin.
  • English Yew – ALL types of Yew are highly poisonous, as are the berries, needles, bark and cones
  • Antifreeze, coolant & motor oil and screen wash
  • Cleaning products - household chemicals
  • Insecticides – garden chemicals
  • Blue cheese – Mycotoxins present in mould are highly poisonous to pets and even deadly
  • Plants, Flowers and bulbs - lilies, including daffodils, tulips, mistletoe, ivy and loads more
  • Recreational drugs – Cocaine, Marijuana and other Cannabinoids, Hallucinogenic mushrooms
  • Blue green algae
  • Mushrooms and fungi
  • Paracetamol
  • Xylitol - Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is found in many products such as toothpaste, sugar free chewing gum, mints
  • Conkers and Acorns
  • Luminous necklaces/glow sticks
  • Salt
  • Flea and tick medication - if overdosed, or if dog products are used on cats

Please be aware that this is a list of some common poisons and is not exhaustive