Common Dog Poisons - RSPCA

Skip to Main Content

Find a Pet

• Find a Pet
  • Rehoming and Adoption
  • Fostering

• Useful Links
  • Advice for Adopters
  • Pet Care
  • Pet Insurance

• Sponsorship
  • Dog Kennels
  • Cat Pods

• Favourites

Advice and Welfare

• Pets
  • Cats
  • Dogs
  • Horses
  • Rabbits
  • See more

• Farm Animals
  • Beef Cattle
  • Dairy Cows
  • Farmed Fish
  • Laying Hens
  • Meat Chickens
  • See more

• Wildlife
  • Badgers
  • Birds
  • Deer
  • Foxes
  • Hedgehogs
  • See more

• Seasonal Advice
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter
• Cost-of-Living Support
• All Advice and Welfare

Ways to Give

• Donate
  • Gift Aid
  • Giving Monthly
  • Gift in Wills
  • In Memory
  • Payroll Giving
  • Philanthropy
  • Advice for donors

• Gift in Wills
  • Request a Gift in Will Guide
  • Step-by-Step Advice
  • Free Will-Writing Service
  • Information for Executors
  • FAQs

• Sponsorship
  • Dog Kennels
  • Cat Pods

• Lottery & Raffle
• Advice for Donors
• SMS Donations

Get Involved

• Fundraise
  • Find an event
  • Ideas and Resources
  • Young Fundraisers
  • Fundraising Pack

• Campaign
  • Better Chicken
  • Better Labels Better Choices
  • Born to Suffer
  • Fireworks
  • Save our Breath
  • See more

• Volunteer
  • Big Help Out
  • Types of Roles
  • Volunteers' week
  • Volunteering with Us

• Businesses
• Events
• Lottery & Raffle
• Membership
• Young People
• Pet Insurance

What We Do

• End Cruelty
  • Change the Law
  • International Work
  • Investigate Cruelty
  • Prevent Suffering
  • Prosecution
  • Rescue Animals

• Care For Animals
  • Financial Assistance
  • Home for Life
  • Rehabilitation
  • Release
  • Wildlife Centres
  • Veterinary Care

• Who We Are
  • Branches
  • Executives
  • Governance
  • History

• Education
• How We Work
• Latest
• Strategy to 2030
• Press and Media

Other

• Find a Pet
• Advice and Welfare
• Ways to Give
• Get Involved
• What We Do
• Search
• My RSPCA
• Report a concern
• Sponsor
• Colour mode Vivid Calm

• Shop
• Next Gen
• Education

Main menu Find a Pet

• Find a Pet
• Useful Links
• Sponsorship
• Favourites

Find a Pet Find a Pet

• Rehoming and Adoption
• Fostering

Find a Pet Useful Links

• Advice for Adopters
• Pet Care
• Pet Insurance

Find a Pet Sponsorship

• Dog Kennels
• Cat Pods

Main menu Advice and Welfare

• Pets
• Farm Animals
• Wildlife
• Seasonal Advice
• Cost-of-Living Support
• All Advice and Welfare

Advice and Welfare Pets

• Cats
• Dogs
• Horses
• Rabbits
• See More

Advice and Welfare Farm Animals

• Beef Cattle
• Dairy Cows
• Farmed Fish
• Laying Hens
• Meat Chickens
• See More

Advice and Welfare Wildlife

• Badgers
• Birds
• Deer
• Foxes
• Hedgehogs
• See More

Advice and Welfare Seasonal Advice

• Spring
• Summer
• Autumn
• Winter

Main menu Ways to Give

• Donate
• Gift in Wills
• Sponsorship
• Lottery & Raffle
• Advice for Donors
• SMS Donations

Ways to Give Donate

• Gift Aid
• Giving Monthly
• Gift in Wills
• In Memory
• Payroll Giving
• Philanthropy
• Advice for donors

Ways to Give Gift in Wills

• Request a Gift in Will Guide
• Step-by-Step Advice
• Free Will-Writing Service
• Information for Executors
• FAQs

Ways to Give Sponsorship

• Dog Kennels
• Cat Pods

Main menu Get Involved

• Fundraise
• Campaign
• Volunteer
• Businesses
• Events
• Lottery & Raffle
• Membership
• Young People
• Pet Insurance

Get Involved Fundraise

• Find an event
• Ideas and Resources
• Young Fundraisers
• Fundraising Pack

Get Involved Campaign

• Better Chicken
• Better Labels Better Choices
• Born to Suffer
• Fireworks
• Save our Breath
• See More

Get Involved Volunteer

• Big Help Out
• Types of Roles
• Volunteers' week
• Volunteering with Us

Main menu What We Do

• End Cruelty
• Care For Animals
• Who We Are
• Education
• How We Work
• Latest
• Strategy to 2030
• Press and Media

What We Do End Cruelty

• Change the Law
• International Work
• Investigate Cruelty
• Prevent Suffering
• Prosecution
• Rescue Animals

What We Do Care For Animals

• Financial Assistance
• Home for Life
• Rehabilitation
• Release
• Wildlife Centres
• Veterinary Care

What We Do Who We Are

• Branches
• Executives
• Governance
• History

1. Home
2. Advice and welfare
3. Pets
4. Dogs
5. Health and welfare
6. Poisoning

Health and welfare Poisoning in dogs

Dogs can be poisoned by some common household items, even some which are harmless to humans. You can reduce this risk by keeping harmful substances out of reach of your dog and keeping them away from areas they have access to.

What to do if you think your dog's been poisoned

1. Stay calm and move your dog 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'll tell you what the situation is depending on the poison and how much of it your dog has had.

Never 'watch and wait'

If you suspect your pet's been poisoned, contact a vet immediately.

How to help your dog while waiting for your vet

While you're waiting for the vet:

• Don't attempt to treat or medicate dogs yourself. Some medicines for humans and other animals may be poisonous to dogs.
• Never attempt to make dogs 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.

• Keep dogs away from other animals to avoid cross-contamination.

Common dog poisons

Learn about the most common dog poisons and their symptoms.

Other poisons include drugs such as paracetamol and oral contraceptives, blue-green algae, fungi, conkers, acorns, rock salt and xylitol (an artificial sweetener).

The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) Animal PoisonLine is a 24-hour emergency phone service giving advice on the treatment of animals exposed to toxins (requires a fee).

For more information about harmful substances, speak to your vet.

Seasonal canine poisons

Alabama rot

Alabama rot is a disease that affects dogs more commonly in cold weather.

Find out more about Alabama rot.

Acorn poisoning

Common autumn-season poisons include acorns.

Find out more about prevention, symptoms and treatment.

Rock salt poisoning

Rock salt is a mixture of salt (sodium chloride) and grit, and is used to help de-ice roads in winter. Rock salt can be a danger to pets such as dogs and cats, if they lick it from their paws or fur. It’s difficult to say how much needs to be eaten for signs of toxicity to be seen, even a small amount of pure salt can be very dangerous. Ingestion can result in a high blood sodium concentration which can cause thirst, vomiting and lethargy, and in severe cases convulsions and kidney damage.

Most cases involve animals who’ve walked through gritted snow and then lick or chew it off their paws as they can find it irritating. It’s therefore important to thoroughly wipe your pet’s feet, legs and tummy after a walk or time outside during cold weather when there may be grit on the ground.

If they’re showing any signs of discomfort after possible exposure to rock salt, use a mild, pet-safe shampoo and warm water to wash the affected areas, and dry your pet’s fur completely with a towel after washing.

Any animal suspected of ingestion of rock salt must be assessed by a vet immediately. This is important as signs can be non-specific and a blood test will be required to check the blood sodium concentration. Immediate veterinary treatment will be needed to rehydrate the animal and stabilise their sodium levels. The exact treatment will depend on the blood sodium concentration and the animal’s clinical condition. Owners should never attempt to induce vomiting; only a vet should do this.

If you are concerned about the composition of rock salt in your area, contact your local authority for information.

Keeping your dogs safe from poisoning

Follow our tips to keep your dog safe from poisons.

In the home

• Keep an eye on your dog
• Keep houseplants out of dogs' reach, and collect dropped leaves and petals
• Keep pesticides (for example, rat bait) away from areas dogs can access

• If treating pets with insecticides, separate them from other pets

Outside

• Ensure housing and exercise areas are free from (and not overhung by) poisonous plants
• Ensure dogs' water supplies can't become contaminated and change them regularly.

Find out more

Dog illnesses

Like any animal, dogs are prone to getting sick from time to time. It's important to understand the common ailments they may pick up so that you can recognise the signs.

RSPCA Pet Insurance

Our pet insurance can help your pet in their time of need.

Buying a puppy

Follow our advice to buy a healthy and happy puppy from a responsible breeder.

Hidden