Poisoning: what to do first: what should I do for my dog?

Use this when you know or think your dog has eaten, licked or touched something poisonous. Take away anything left and remove any on the fur. Offer a treat or toy so your dog drops what's in its mouth.

First aid

Poisoning: what to do first: dog first aid

Use this when you know or think your dog has eaten, licked or touched something poisonous.

Get your dog to a vet as soon as you can

Find an emergency vet

What to do

Take away anything left and remove any on the fur. Offer a treat or toy so your dog drops what's in its mouth.
Call your vet, an emergency clinic or a pet poison line now. Don't wait for signs.
Have ready your dog's breed, age, sex and weight, its signs, and what it got into, how much and when.
Keep the product packaging or label, and check it for instructions.
Put anything your dog vomited or chewed in a sealed plastic bag to take to the vet.
If you need to go in, bring the packaging or a photo of it.

Don't

Don't make your dog vomit unless a vet or poison line tells you to.
Don't give any medicine or home remedy, such as milk, oil, salt or hydrogen peroxide, unless a vet tells you to.
Don't wait to see if signs appear.

Signs

Vomiting or diarrhea
Strange or unusual behavior
Not eating
Pale gums
Seizures
Low energy or collapse

Why

Signs can start straight away or take hours to days. Calling early, with the product in hand, lets a vet or poison line tell you exactly what to do.

Sources

Guide reviewed 9 October 2026.

General information from the sources above, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.