Household Toxins Reference for Dogs and Cats
Look up common non-food household hazards - antifreeze, rodenticides, batteries, essential oils, and more - with mechanism and urgency for dogs and cats. For chocolate, xylitol, grapes, onion/garlic, ibuprofen, or paracetamol, use the toxicity calculator instead.
This covers non-food household hazards only.
For chocolate, xylitol, grapes, onion/garlic, ibuprofen, and paracetamol, use the toxicity calculator. If you suspect any exposure listed here, call your vet or a pet poison helpline immediately - many of these are time-critical.
Species affected
How to use this tool
Why timing matters so much here
Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) poisoning in cats has an extremely narrow treatment window - by the time kidney failure signs appear, it's often too late for antidotal therapy to work. Get to a vet immediately, even before signs appear, if antifreeze exposure is suspected.
Bring the packaging
Rodenticides in particular come in chemically distinct classes - anticoagulant, bromethalin, and cholecalciferol - that require completely different treatment approaches and can't be told apart clinically until signs develop. Bringing the box or label is often the single most useful thing an owner can do.
Disclose everything, honestly
For exposures like marijuana/THC, tell your vet exactly what was ingested (including edible form) so they can treat appropriately - edibles often contain other toxic ingredients like chocolate or xylitol as co-toxins.
Frequently asked questions
What's the most time-critical household toxin exposure?
Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) in cats. The treatment window is extremely narrow - get to a vet immediately, even before signs appear, rather than waiting to see if the cat develops symptoms.
How can I tell which type of rodenticide my pet ate?
Bring the packaging or box. The active ingredient class - anticoagulant, bromethalin, or cholecalciferol - completely changes treatment, and there's no way to distinguish them clinically until signs develop.
Are essential oil diffusers safe around cats?
Use caution. Cats are more sensitive than dogs to many essential oils due to limited liver metabolism. Ensure good ventilation and consult your vet before using diffusers around cats, especially with tea tree, pennyroyal, wintergreen, or pine oils.
Is marijuana toxicity usually fatal?
Rarely from THC alone, but sedation-related risks like aspiration are real. Edible forms may also contain other toxic ingredients like chocolate or xylitol, so always disclose exactly what was ingested to your vet so they can treat appropriately.