Poisoning: the most common sources at home and outdoors
Chocolate is the best known but not the most dangerous. Oleander, paracetamol in cats, rat poison and other innocent-looking things — and what not to do when you suspect poisoning.
Most poisoning cases are not accidents so much as gaps in knowledge. Something being harmless to people does not make it harmless to animals; in a few cases the difference is fatal.
Most common in the home
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen. Human painkillers given with good intentions are lethal, particularly to cats. Never give any human medicine without asking a vet.
- Chocolate. Risk rises with cocoa content; dark chocolate is markedly more dangerous than milk.
- Grapes and raisins. Can cause kidney failure in dogs, and the dose-effect relationship is unpredictable.
- Xylitol. Found in sugar-free gum, some diet products and some peanut butters; it drops blood sugar rapidly in dogs.
- Onion and garlic. Including powdered forms; they slip in with leftovers.
- Olives and olive stones. Common in Alanya; the stone can cause a blockage.
Plants — a separate heading for cats
Lilies are particularly dangerous to cats: the leaves, the pollen, even the vase water can cause kidney failure. When a bunch of cut flowers comes into the house, most people do not think of this.
Oleander, common in gardens and along roads in this region, is also high risk. An animal that chews a leaf can arrive with a disturbed heart rhythm.
Outdoors
- Rat and pest poisons. Eating a poisoned rodent is as much a risk as eating the bait itself.
- Antifreeze. Animals drink it willingly because it tastes sweet; even very small amounts are serious.
- Dead fish and sea life on the shore. A frequent find in summer.
- Wrongly applied parasite products. A product made for dogs applied to a cat can, depending on the ingredient, create an acute emergency.
If you suspect it: what not to do
Do not try to make the animal vomit on your own. In many cases this makes things worse: if a corrosive substance was swallowed, vomiting burns the oesophagus a second time, and if the animal is drowsy the vomit goes into the lungs. The decision to induce vomiting is the vet's.
Do not try salt water, milk, oil or home remedies circulating online. Do not wait — with some substances signs appear hours later, by which time absorption is complete.
What to do
- Call a clinic immediately; at night use the 24/7 filter in the directory.
- Take the packaging or a photo of the substance with you. The active ingredient determines the treatment.
- Say as precisely as you can when and how much was taken.
- If there is vomit, photograph it; you do not need to bring it, but its content is informative.
This page is general information. Doses, quantities and antidotes are deliberately not given; these are assessed only by a vet, according to the substance, the animal's weight and the time elapsed.