A safer home
for paws.

If something has happened

1. Phone your vet immediately. Use their emergency service outside opening hours.
2. Prevent further exposure if you can do so safely. Keep other animals away from the substance.
3. Have the facts ready: the product or plant name, approximate amount, time of exposure and any symptoms. Keep the packaging or take a photograph, but do not delay the call to collect everything.
4. Follow the veterinary team’s instructions. Do not induce vomiting or give milk, oil, salt, charcoal, food or medicines unless the vet specifically directs you.

Tell the team straight away if your pet has collapsed, is having seizures or is struggling to breathe. [1] [8]

Xylitol: an emergency for dogs

Xylitol is a sweetener in some sugar-free chewing gums, sweets, toothpastes, medicines and nut butters. It may also be called birch sugar or wood sugar. In dogs it can cause dangerously low blood sugar and serious liver injury. [2] [3]

Check labels before offering nut butter, use pet toothpaste and store bags and gum where your dog cannot reach them. The warning concerns xylitol-containing gum; chewing gum is never a suitable dog treat.

Lilies: keep them out of cat homes

True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) can cause life-threatening kidney failure in cats. Petals, leaves, stems, pollen and vase water all matter. Grooming pollen from a coat can be enough to expose a cat.

Choose other flowers for cat homes and gardens accessible to cats. A high shelf does not remove the risk. Other plants called ‘lily’, including lily-of-the-valley, have different toxins and can also seriously harm dogs and cats. Always check the botanical name. [4]

Kerstroos is toxic to cats and dogs

Christmas rose, or kerstroos (Helleborus niger), is a hellebore, not an ordinary garden rose. It is toxic to both cats and dogs. Ingestion can cause drooling, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea and unusual quietness.

A room-by-room safety check

• Kitchen: keep chocolate, cocoa, caffeine, alcohol and raw yeast dough inaccessible. Onions, garlic and chives can also harm cats and dogs. [6]
• Snacks: grapes, raisins and sultanas can damage dogs’ kidneys. Baking does not remove the risk; call your vet after suspected ingestion. [9]
• Bathroom: secure all medicines. Never give human painkillers or another pet’s medication without veterinary direction. Paracetamol is especially dangerous to cats. [7]
• Pet cupboard: use the correct flea treatment for the species. Some dog products contain permethrin, which poisons cats. [8]
• Garden and garage: lock away rodent poisons, slug pellets, antifreeze and chemicals. Keep the exact label for the vet if exposure occurs. [8] [9]
• Plant corner: sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is toxic to cats and dogs and can cause severe liver damage. ‘Palm’ alone is not a safety label. [10]

Cosy for you. Comfortable for them.

Keep flames, hot wax and fragrance oils inaccessible. Never leave a burning candle unattended; curious paws and wagging tails can knock it over. A flameless light offers another way to create a cosy corner. [12]

Do not apply concentrated essential oils to your pet or use them as a homemade calming treatment. Prevent licking and spills. Risk varies with the oil, concentration, species and exposure; ‘natural’ does not establish safety. Keep essential-oil diffusers out of rooms your cat uses. Pets must be able to leave a scented area. Avoid diffusers around pets with breathing problems unless your vet advises otherwise. [11]

Know the plant, not just its nickname

Keep a photograph of new plant labels, check every stem in a bouquet and make plant care products inaccessible. If identification is uncertain after an exposure, let the vet help you assess it.