Toxic foods and household hazards: what to keep away

The highest-risk areas

• Guest bags, bedside tables and open medication blister packs.
• Gum, sweets and baked products containing xylitol.
• Bins, compost, bones, raw yeast dough and fatty leftovers.
• Nicotine products, vape liquids and cannabis.
• Cleaning products, garden chemicals and rodent bait.

What to have ready when calling

• The product name and a photo of the ingredients.
• The estimated amount and maximum possible exposure.
• The time of exposure, the dog’s weight and current signs.
• Other medicines and chronic conditions.

What not to do

Do not give milk, oil, salt, charcoal or hydrogen peroxide just in case. The response depends on the substance, timing and the dog’s condition. Some materials are dangerous to bring back through the oesophagus, and a bulldog has an additional aspiration risk.

Act before symptoms appear

Call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately and take the packaging with you. If the dog becomes weak, has a seizure, struggles to breathe or loses consciousness, tell the clinic you are already on the way.