Your Dog Just Ate Something They Shouldn't Have. Here's Exactly What to Do.

Dogs eat things they shouldn't. It is, in many ways, their defining characteristic.

Most of the time, it's fine. Sometimes it isn't. The challenge is knowing which situation you're in — quickly, without spiraling into panic, and without making it worse.

Step 1: Don't induce vomiting yet

This is the most common mistake. Do not induce vomiting if your dog ate:

• Caustic or corrosive substances (bleach, drain cleaner, battery acid) — vomiting brings the substance back up through the esophagus, causing burns on the way back out

• Sharp objects — they cause injury on the return trip

• Petroleum-based products (gasoline, motor oil) — aspiration risk during vomiting is high

• If your dog is already showing neurological symptoms (wobbling, seizure activity, extreme lethargy)

Before doing anything, call a vet or poison control.

Step 2: Call before you act

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435 (available 24/7; consultation fee applies)

Have this information ready: what your dog ate, approximately how much, your dog's weight, when it happened, any symptoms you're currently seeing.

Step 3: Know what's actually toxic

Genuinely dangerous — seek care immediately:

• Xylitol (in sugar-free gum, some peanut butters, baked goods) — causes rapid blood sugar drop and liver failure

• Grapes and raisins — kidney failure, even in small amounts

• Chocolate — dark chocolate and baking chocolate are far more dangerous than milk chocolate

• Macadamia nuts — neurological symptoms, weakness, hyperthermia

• Onions and garlic — destroy red blood cells; toxicity is cumulative

• Human medications — NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), acetaminophen, antidepressants

• Rat poison / rodenticide — prevents blood clotting; symptoms may be delayed by days

• Sago palm — liver failure; all parts of the plant are toxic

Often concerning, depends on amount:

• Alcohol — toxic in surprisingly small amounts relative to body weight

• Caffeine — coffee grounds, tea bags, energy drinks

• Raw bread dough — expands in the stomach; alcohol produced during fermentation is also a risk

Usually fine, monitor for GI upset:

• Plain cooked chicken, rice, sweet potato

• Most fruits without seeds or pits: blueberries, watermelon, apple slices

• Grass — occasional vomiting afterward is normal

Step 4: Watch for these symptoms

After any ingestion of concern, monitor for vomiting or diarrhea (especially if bloody), excessive drooling, tremors or seizure activity, extreme lethargy or inability to stand, pale or blue gums, rapid or labored breathing, distended abdomen, or loss of coordination.

Any of these symptoms following an ingestion of something potentially toxic means go to the ER now.

Step 5: If you're not sure, ask a vet

The grey zone — where you're not sure if what they ate is dangerous, or not sure if the amount was enough to cause harm — is exactly where telehealth vet access earns its place.

A licensed vet can look up the specific substance, calculate toxicity by your dog's body weight, tell you whether symptoms are likely and on what timeline, and give you a clear answer: go now, watch at home, or call back if anything changes.

[Talk to a vet now — first month free →]