Dog poisoning: what to do and the toxins to know

This guide is general information only. First aid doesn't replace veterinary care. In an emergency, ring your vet (or your out-of-hours vet) straight away.

Out-of-hours emergencies in Liverpool: Medivet 24 Hour Alder, 410 Eaton Road, West Derby, L12 3HG, says it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 0151 220 4668 (Medivet, checked 18 Oct 2026). Vets Now Liverpool, based in the PDSA Pet Hospital on Woolfall Heath Avenue, Huyton, L36 3YD, opens from 6pm on weeknights, from noon on Saturdays, and all day on Sundays and bank holidays. Call 0151 271 5727 (Vets Now, checked 18 Oct 2026). Always ring before you set off, and ask your own vet which service covers their out-of-hours calls.

Dogs explore with their noses and mouths, so it's easy for them to get hold of something harmful. If you think your dog has eaten something poisonous, act fast and don't wait for symptoms. Here's what UK vets and charities advise.

What to do straight away

1. Stay calm and move your dog away from the poison (RSPCA). If they still have some in their mouth, tempt them to drop it with a treat or toy (PDSA).
2. Ring your vet straight away. Tell them when, where and how it happened (RSPCA). Out of hours, ring your vet's out-of-hours service (PDSA).
3. Keep the evidence. Take the packaging, or photos of it, to the vet (PDSA; Blue Cross). If you think it was a plant, try to identify it or take a photo (Blue Cross). If you know the product, check the label for advice (RSPCA).
4. Follow your vet's advice. They'll tell you how serious it is, based on the poison and how much your dog has had (RSPCA).

Don't make your dog sick

Never try to make your dog vomit unless your vet tells you to (PDSA; Blue Cross). Some poisons cause more damage coming back up than they would if left in the stomach (Vets Now). The RSPCA warns never to use salt water, as it's extremely dangerous (RSPCA). If vomiting is needed, your vet can give an injection to make your dog sick, but only when they're confident it's safe (PDSA).

Don't try to treat or medicate your dog yourself. Some medicines for people and for other animals are poisonous to dogs (RSPCA).

Poison on the coat or paws

Dogs can swallow paint, antifreeze or tar while grooming it off their fur (Blue Cross). Ring your vet, even if you think you've removed it all (Blue Cross). Wash it off with water and a mild, dog-suitable shampoo, then rinse well and dry (Blue Cross; RSPCA). An Elizabethan collar can stop them licking it (Blue Cross). Keep your dog away from other animals to avoid spreading it (RSPCA).

Signs of poisoning

Signs vary with the poison. The RSPCA lists these common ones (RSPCA; RSPCA):

• vomiting and diarrhoea
• strange or unusual behaviour
• loss of appetite
• pale gums
• seizures (fits)
• lethargy and collapse

Vets Now adds drooling, trembling and difficulty breathing (Vets Now). Remember, PDSA says you should never wait to see if symptoms develop (PDSA).

Animal PoisonLine

Animal PoisonLine is run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS). It says it is the only 24-hour emergency phone line in the UK just for pet owners worried their pet may have been poisoned. Its vets and scientists can tell you whether your dog needs to go to the vet straight away (Animal PoisonLine).

• Phone: 01202 509 000, open 24 hours a day (Animal PoisonLine).
• Cost: it's a paid service. Each call costs £35 from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and £45 at all other times, including bank holidays. Payment is taken by card through an automated system, and American Express isn't accepted (Animal PoisonLine).
• Refunds: if you're then sent to the vet and your vet charges you for calling VPIS, Animal PoisonLine says it will refund your call (Animal PoisonLine).
• When not to call: if your dog has collapsed, is fitting or is struggling to breathe, or the case involves an adder bite or blue-green algae, contact your vet immediately instead (Animal PoisonLine).

Before you call, have ready your dog's name, age, breed and weight, what they've been exposed to (the product or brand name), how (eaten, breathed in or on the skin), how long ago, and how much (Animal PoisonLine).

Common poisons in UK homes

Food

• Chocolate: contains theobromine. The darker the chocolate, the higher the risk (PDSA). Small amounts can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, and larger amounts can cause seizures or death. Cocoa powder counts too (Dogs Trust).
• Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants: can cause kidney failure in severe cases (PDSA). The toxic dose varies, and some dogs don't need to eat much to become ill (PDSA). Watch out for fruit cake, mince pies, malt loaf, scones and snack bars (Dogs Trust). Contact your vet straight away. Don't wait for symptoms (PDSA).
• Xylitol: a sweetener in some sugar-free gum, mints, sweets, baking, peanut butter and toothpaste. It may be listed as E967 (Dogs Trust) or 'birch sugar' (PDSA). It can crash a dog's blood sugar and cause liver failure (Dogs Trust). It's also in some nicotine replacement gums (PDSA).
• Onions, garlic, leeks and chives: toxic even when cooked, and can cause anaemia. Gravy often contains them (Dogs Trust; PDSA).
• Macadamia nuts: toxic to dogs even in small amounts (PDSA).
• Alcohol and raw dough: uncooked bread and pizza dough produce alcohol inside a dog's body (Dogs Trust).
• Caffeine: in tea, coffee, energy drinks and some painkillers (PDSA).
• Mouldy food and blue cheese: mouldy food can contain toxins that cause vomiting, tremors and seizures. Keep food bins and compost out of reach (PDSA).

Medicines

• Ibuprofen: never give it to your dog. It can cause stomach ulcers, kidney damage and, at very high doses, seizures (PDSA). Don't let your dog lick skin where you've used ibuprofen gel (PDSA).
• Other human medicines: the RSPCA names paracetamol and oral contraceptives among common dog poisons (RSPCA). Only give your dog medicines your vet has prescribed (PDSA; PDSA).
• Vitamin D: found in some supplements and ointments, and in some rat and mouse poisons. Severe poisoning can cause kidney failure (PDSA).
• Pet medicines: always use the right product and dose for your dog's species and weight (PDSA).

Around the house, garage and garden

• Antifreeze: also found in screen wash, de-icers and brake fluid. Even the smallest amount can cause kidney failure and can be fatal (PDSA). It tastes sweet, and the longer the wait for treatment, the worse the outlook (Vets Now). Check your car for coolant leaks (PDSA).
• Rat and mouse poison: made to taste good to rodents, so dogs eat it too. Many types stop blood clotting, so look out for bleeding, as well as coughing, vomiting and seizures (PDSA). Keep bait where your dog can't reach (RSPCA).
• Slug and snail pellets: pellets containing metaldehyde can be fatal within hours. They're now banned from sale in the UK, so check your shed for old packets (PDSA).
• Weed and pest killers, white spirit and barbecue lighter fluid (PDSA).
• Vapes and e-cigarettes: often contain very high levels of nicotine (PDSA).
• Batteries: can burn the mouth, throat and stomach (PDSA).
• Glow sticks, paintballs and children's modelling compounds also appear on Vets Now's list (Vets Now).

Plants, including lilies

PDSA lists plants that can cause serious symptoms in pets, including autumn crocus, azalea and rhododendron, daffodils, horse chestnut, oak, yew, lilies and mushrooms (PDSA). Vets Now also includes lilies on its list of plants poisonous to pets (Vets Now).

Lilies are best known as a danger to cats. Animal PoisonLine tells owners of a cat that's had contact with true lilies to go straight to the vet rather than ring them (Animal PoisonLine). For dogs, follow the same rule as with any plant: if your dog has eaten some, ring your vet and take a photo of the plant (Blue Cross).

Toads

Toads release a poison when threatened. If your dog mouths one, rinse the area with plenty of water and phone the vet straight away. Most dogs drool heavily or froth at the mouth (PDSA).

Seasonal risks

Autumn: conkers and acorns

Conkers and acorns are often found in parks, on green spaces and on pavements, from around the start of autumn (Dogs Trust). They're toxic to dogs, and they can also make a dog choke or block the gut (Dogs Trust; Blue Cross).

• Conkers contain a toxin called aesculin. Signs can appear within one to six hours, but may not show for up to two days (Blue Cross).
• Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain and restlessness, tiredness, wobbliness, tremors and collapse (Blue Cross; Dogs Trust).
• Signs of acorn poisoning can appear within hours or after several days (RSPCA). Don't wait for them. Ring your vet straight away (RSPCA).
• Keep your dog on the lead where conkers and acorns are on the ground (Dogs Trust), and teach a 'drop' or 'leave' cue (Blue Cross).

Autumn is fireworks season too. See our fireworks guide for help with Bonfire Night.

Winter and Christmas

• Vets Now says poisoning cases rise a lot over winter and Easter, often because dogs eat chocolate, or food containing raisins, sultanas and currants (Vets Now). Dried fruit turns up in mince pies and fruit cake (Dogs Trust).
• Rock salt: dogs can lick grit off their paws after walking on gritted pavements. Wipe their feet, legs and tummy after winter walks. If you think they've eaten some, a vet needs to check them immediately (RSPCA).
• Antifreeze leaks are a particular winter risk (Vets Now).

See our heatstroke and cold guide for more on winter walks.

Find a vet in Liverpool

It's worth saving your own vet's number, and their out-of-hours number, in your phone before you ever need them (PDSA). Our Liverpool vets directory lists practices across the city.

In an emergency: Liverpool's two out-of-hours emergency vets, Medivet 24 Hour Alder (0151 220 4668) and Vets Now Liverpool (0151 271 5727), are listed with their addresses and opening times in the box at the top of this page (checked 18 Oct 2026).

More in our dog first aid series:

• Dog first aid: the basics
• Heatstroke and cold
• Cuts, bites, wounds and ticks
• Stings, burns and eye injuries
• Choking, seizures and collapse
• Your dog first aid kit

See all our dog health and first aid guides

There are no affiliate links on this page. Affiliate disclosure. This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Always speak to your vet.