☠️ Toxic Foods for Pets — A–Z Library

The most common pet poisons

🍫 Chocolate

Toxin: theobromine + caffeine. Severity: high (dark/cooking chocolate is worst). Symptoms: vomiting, hyperactivity, racing heart, seizures. Action: call vet — toxic at 20 mg/kg theobromine.

🍇 Grapes & raisins

Toxin: unknown. Severity: very high (acute kidney failure). Symptoms: vomiting within 24h, lethargy, no urination. Action: emergency vet — even one grape can be fatal in some dogs.

🧅 Onion, garlic, leek, chives

Toxin: N-propyl disulfide (damages red blood cells). Severity: high in cats, moderate in dogs. Symptoms: 1–4 days delayed: pale gums, weakness, dark urine. Action: vet visit, even for cooked or powdered onion.

🌰 Macadamia nuts

Toxin: unknown. Severity: moderate (dogs only). Symptoms: weakness in back legs, tremors, fever. Action: vet visit; usually self-resolves in 12–48h.

🍬 Xylitol (sugar substitute)

Toxin: xylitol. Severity: very high (dogs). Symptoms: drop in blood sugar within 30 min; liver failure 12–72h later. Action: emergency vet immediately. Found in sugar-free gum, peanut butter, baked goods.

🥑 Avocado

Toxin: persin. Severity: low–moderate in dogs and cats; high in birds. Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhoea. Action: avoid; pit is also a choking/blockage hazard.

🍷 Alcohol

Toxin: ethanol. Severity: very high (small body weight). Symptoms: staggering, vomiting, low body temp, coma. Action: emergency vet.

☕ Caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks)

Toxin: caffeine. Severity: high. Symptoms: hyperactivity, vomiting, racing heart, seizures. Action: emergency vet.

🥖 Raw bread dough

Toxin: ethanol from yeast + expansion in stomach. Severity: very high. Symptoms: bloating, drunkenness, collapse. Action: emergency vet.

🥜 Mouldy nuts & food

Toxin: tremorgenic mycotoxins. Severity: high. Symptoms: tremors, seizures within hours. Action: emergency vet.

🐟 Raw salmon (Pacific)

Toxin: Neorickettsia parasite. Severity: high in dogs. Symptoms: vomiting, fever, lymph node swelling 5–7 days after. Action: vet — fully treatable if caught early.

🍅 Green tomato & potato

Toxin: solanine. Severity: low. Symptoms: drooling, GI upset. Action: avoid; ripe red tomatoes and cooked potatoes are safe.

If you suspect any toxin ingestion, save packaging and call your vet or pet poison helpline immediately.