What to Do If Your Pet Eats Something Unknown

Don't Panic — But Do Act Fast

That sinking feeling when you spot your dog looking suspiciously guilty next to an empty wrapper, or your cat licking something they definitely shouldn't have been near — it's one of the most stressful moments in pet ownership. According to Direct Line Group research, over 7.1 million UK pets have fallen ill after eating something poisonous, with an estimated 323 dogs and 52 cats treated for poisoning every single day. The good news? Pets that receive prompt veterinary attention have a much better chance of a full recovery. The key is knowing what to do in those first critical minutes.

Step One: Stay Calm and Remove the Source

Your first job is to stop any further exposure. Calmly remove your pet from the area and, if it's safe to do so, collect the packaging, plant, or substance they were near. Don't put yourself at risk — some toxins can also affect humans — but if you can grab the wrapper or take a photo of the plant or product, that information is genuinely invaluable for your vet.

If your pet has vomit or diarrhoea, scrape a small sample into a jar or bag. It sounds grim, but your vet may be able to test it to identify what's causing the problem.

Step Two: Call Your Vet Immediately — Don't Wait and See

This is critical: do not wait to see if symptoms develop. Some toxins act fast; others take hours to cause serious damage. By the time your pet looks unwell, the situation may already be much harder to treat. Call your vet (or an emergency out-of-hours vet) straight away.

If you're unsure whether what your pet ate is dangerous, the Animal Poison Line (run by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service) offers a 24/7 helpline for pet owners in the UK. There is a small fee per call, but it could save your pet's life.

When you call, be ready to share: - What your pet ate (or what you think they ate) - Roughly how much - When it happened - Your pet's weight and age - Any symptoms you've noticed so far

If your pet has a PawLink tag, your vet or an emergency responder can tap it to instantly access your pet's medical notes — including any known allergies, medications, or pre-existing conditions that could affect how they respond to treatment or what drugs can safely be given.

Step Three: Do NOT Induce Vomiting (Unless Told To)

This is one of the most common and dangerous mistakes pet owners make. It feels instinctive to try to get the substance out, but making your pet vomit can cause serious additional harm in certain situations — for example, if they've swallowed something corrosive, or if the substance is more dangerous coming back up than going down.

Your vet may choose to induce vomiting by injection — but that's a clinical decision made with knowledge of exactly what was ingested. Never use salt, hydrogen peroxide, or any home remedy to try to make your pet sick.

Common UK Culprits to Know About

Some of the most frequent causes of pet poisoning in the UK include:

For dogs: Chocolate (flagged by 91% of vets as a top concern), grapes, raisins, sultanas, onions, garlic, xylitol (found in sugar-free gum and some peanut butters), human medications, and slug pellets.

For cats: Lilies (even pollen on their fur can cause kidney failure), rat poison, certain garden plants, essential oils, and mouldy food.

For both: Ibuprofen and paracetamol are highly toxic to pets — even a small dose can be fatal. Keep all medications locked away.

It's worth spending 20 minutes going through your home and garden with a fresh pair of eyes. The RSPCA and PDSA both publish updated lists of household and garden hazards on their websites.

What Your Vet Might Do

Depending on what your pet has ingested and how quickly you've acted, your vet may:

• Administer an injection to safely induce vomiting
• Give activated charcoal (which helps absorb remaining toxins in the gut)
• Put your pet on a drip to support kidney and liver function
• Carry out blood tests to monitor organ health
• In serious cases, perform emergency surgery to remove a foreign object

The faster you get there, the more options your vet has.

After the Emergency: Update Your Pet's Medical Profile

Once your pet is safely home, use the moment as a prompt to update their PawLink profile. Add a note in the medical tab about any known sensitivities or close calls — especially if your vet has advised avoiding certain medications or treatments in future. If a finder or emergency vet ever needs to act quickly, that information could make a real difference.

You can also use PawLink's Lost Mode if your pet escaped during a panicked moment — it flags their profile as active and helps finders return them quickly.

Keep These Numbers Saved

• Your vet's number — and their out-of-hours emergency contact
• Animal Poison Line: 01202 509000 (24/7, fee applies)
• RSPCA helpline: 0300 1234 999

Preparation isn't pessimism — it's just good pet ownership. The pets who fare best in emergencies are the ones whose owners already knew what to do.