A kennel is full of things dogs should not eat, and a litter of weaned puppies is a group of animals that explore the world with their mouths — so poisoning prevention is less about rare toxins than about the ordinary products within reach every day.
The most important first
- If you suspect poisoning, call your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline immediately, before signs appear. In the US, ASPCA Animal Poison Control runs a 24-hour line at (888) 426-4435; elsewhere, ask your veterinarian which service covers you and write the number down now.
- Do not make a dog vomit unless a veterinarian tells you to. The Merck Veterinary Manual advises that induced vomiting after xylitol should ideally be done only under veterinary supervision.
- Medications and supplements top the list. In 2025 ASPCA Animal Poison Control handled more than 376,000 exposures; over-the-counter medications and supplements were the largest category, followed by food and drink, prescription medications and chocolate.
- Some poisons act fast and some act late. Xylitol can cause dangerously low blood sugar within 30 minutes; anticoagulant rat bait usually causes no bleeding until three to seven days after it was eaten.
- Flavored veterinary chewables are a growing risk: veterinary products made up 9.1% of the ASPCA’s 2025 cases. Store wormers and flea and tick chews locked away, out of reach of a determined dog.
What dogs actually swallow
The ASPCA’s figures for 2025 are a useful corrective to lists of exotic toxins. The ten largest categories of exposure were, in order: over-the-counter medications and supplements (16.9%); food and drink (16.4%), led by grapes, raisins, xylitol gum, onions and garlic; human prescription medications, most often heart medications, antidepressants and ADHD medications; chocolate (13.6%); veterinary products (9.1%); plants and fungi (7.5%); rodenticides (6.5%); household products such as cleaners and paints (6.4%); insecticides (3.8%); and recreational drugs (1.9%).
Almost everything on that list is a normal part of a household. The prevention that works is therefore storage and routine, not vigilance in the moment.
Two poisons that do not look dangerous
Xylitol. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists the places it hides: sugar-free gum, candy, mints, some peanut butters and baked goods, toothpaste and oral-care products, chewable vitamins and supplements, cosmetics, and some liquid medications sweetened for people. In dogs it can cause low blood sugar within about 30 minutes, sometimes delayed for 12 to 18 hours with some gums, and it can cause severe liver injury; in one study cited by Merck, 62.5% of dogs with clinical liver injury died or were euthanized despite treatment. Peanut butter used for a puppy’s enrichment toy or to give tablets should be checked for it every time you buy a new jar. Merck notes that signs of liver injury may not appear until 24 to 48 hours or later, so a dog that has eaten xylitol needs a veterinarian even if it looks completely normal.
Anticoagulant rat bait. These products stop the blood from clotting, and the effect is delayed: Merck reports that clotting tests become abnormal two to five days after ingestion and bleeding is typically noticed three to seven days afterwards. Signs include weakness, lethargy, pale gums, nosebleeds, bruising, blood in the urine or stool, and breathing difficulty from internal bleeding. A dog that has eaten bait looks well for days, which is exactly why you must act on the exposure, not wait for symptoms. Merck also notes relay poisoning, where an animal is poisoned by eating a rodent that had eaten the bait.
Risks particular to a kennel
- Rodent control. If you use bait, use tamper-resistant stations placed where dogs cannot reach or move them, keep a written record of where every station is and which product it contains, and tell your veterinarian the product name. Better still, discuss non-toxic control with your pest-control provider.
- Veterinary products. Flavored wormers, flea and tick chews and joint supplements are designed to be eaten. Store them locked away, never in a bag left on the floor, and account for every dose given — see parasites and worming schedules.
- Cleaning and disinfection. Kennel disinfectants are only safe at the dilution and contact time on the label, followed by rinsing where the label says so, and with ventilation; the protocol is in hygiene, quarantine and disease control. Store concentrates away from dog areas.
- Visitors. Puppy buyers, helpers and children bring purses, pockets and snacks. The ASPCA notes that pills are often found in bags and purses. Give visitors somewhere to leave bags out of the dogs’ reach.
- Plants and gardens. Check plants in runs and gardens against a toxic-plant list before planting, and remember fertilizers, slug and snail baits and insecticides; the ASPCA advises reading insecticide labels for dilution and storage.
- Garage and yard. The AVMA lists antifreeze (ethylene glycol) as highly dangerous, alongside ice melt, fertilizers, pesticides, paints and solvents. Keep them on a high shelf or in a locked cupboard, clean up spills straight away, and keep dogs off treated lawns for the time the label gives.
The weaning litter
From the moment puppies are mobile, everything at floor level is food. Before the litter is moved into a larger area, get down to their height and look: electrical cables, dropped tablets, cleaning products, cigarette butts, plants, small objects, and anything the adults have left lying around. The layout principles are in the puppy environment: space, surfaces and setup, and the daily sweep belongs in your daily care and hygiene routine. Treat any medication given to the dam with the same care: a dropped tablet in a whelping room may be found by a puppy before you find it.
If you think a dog has been poisoned
- If the dog is having a seizure, has collapsed, is struggling to breathe, is bleeding, or is getting worse, go straight to your veterinarian or the nearest emergency clinic and call on the way.
- Move the dog away from the substance and stop other dogs and puppies from reaching it.
- Call your veterinarian or a poison helpline straight away, even if the dog looks well.
- Keep the packaging, or photograph the label, so the product and active ingredient can be identified, and estimate how much is missing and when it was eaten. Have the dog’s approximate weight ready, and bring any vomit or chewed material in a sealed bag.
- Do not make the dog vomit, give milk, salt or home remedies unless a veterinarian instructs you to.
- Note the time and any signs, and follow the clinic’s instructions on whether and how to bring the dog in.
Poison helplines. Your own veterinarian is the first call; if you cannot reach them, use a helpline. In the US, two 24-hour lines are ASPCA Animal Poison Control, (888) 426-4435, and Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661. In the UK, the Veterinary Poisons Information Service runs Animal PoisonLine on 01202 509 000. In Australia and New Zealand, the Animal Poisons Helpline, staffed by consultants with emergency veterinary or clinical pharmacy experience, runs a 24/7 line on 1300 869 738 (Australia) and 0800 869 738 (New Zealand). Most helplines charge a consultation fee, so check the terms before the moment you need one. Elsewhere, ask your veterinarian which service covers your area, and save the number in your phone now.
In practice
A breeder notices a chewed blister pack on the kitchen floor after a visit from a family coming to see the litter. It is the visitor’s own pain medication, dropped from a purse, and the adult bitch is the obvious suspect. The breeder calls the clinic with the packaging in hand, and the bitch is seen within the hour. She recovers. The breeder now keeps a hook for visitors’ bags inside the front door and a laminated card with the poison helpline number next to it.
(Illustrative, composite scenario.)
When to call your vet or a pet poison helpline
- You know or suspect a dog has eaten medication, xylitol, rat or mouse bait, chocolate, grapes or raisins, antifreeze, or a garden or cleaning chemical. Call now, even if the dog seems fine.
- Seizures, collapse, difficulty breathing, or a dog that is getting worse: this is an emergency. Go now and call on the way.
- Bleeding from the nose or gums, bruising, pale gums, blood in the stool or urine, or unusual tiredness in the days after possible access to rodent bait.
- Vomiting, wobbliness or weakness within hours of a possible exposure, even if you do not know what it was.
- A puppy in a weaning litter that has chewed or swallowed something you cannot identify.
- Do not make the dog vomit or give anything by mouth unless a veterinarian or helpline tells you to.
- If in doubt, call — your vet would rather hear from you early.
Work on it
A few minutes here will teach you more than re-reading the article.
Ask yourself
- If one of my dogs swallowed something now, do I know the number I would call and where the packaging of every product in my kennel is?
- Where in my house or kennel could a dog or puppy reach a medication, a flavored chew or a bait station today?
- Do I check the label of every peanut butter, chew and supplement for xylitol?
Find out & check
- Ask your veterinarian which poison helpline they recommend where you live, and whether they would want you to call them or the helpline first after hours.
Do one thing
- Walk through your kennel and house at puppy height today, and add the poison helpline number to your kennel emergency plan.
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Sources & further reading
- ASPCA — The Top 10 Toxins of 2025. aspca.org
- ASPCA — Animal Poison Control Center. aspca.org
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs. merckvetmanual.com
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Anticoagulant Rodenticide Poisoning in Animals. merckvetmanual.com
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center — First Aid: Poisonous Substances. vet.cornell.edu
- American Veterinary Medical Association — Household hazards. avma.org
- American Veterinary Medical Association — First aid tips for pet owners. avma.org
- Veterinary Poisons Information Service (UK) — Animal PoisonLine. animalpoisonline.co.uk
- Animal Poisons Helpline (Australia and New Zealand) — About us. animalpoisons.com.au
Where evidence is limited, recommendations rest on established practice and expert judgment, and may be updated as knowledge develops. This article is general information and does not replace an examination by your veterinarian. If you suspect an emergency, contact a veterinarian immediately.
Next steps
- Read next: Heatstroke: protecting breeding dogs, litters and dogs on the move.
- Related: Crisis and contingency planning for a kennel · Toxic garden plants, fertilizer, slug bait and mulch · Easter and your dog: chocolate, hot cross buns and egg hunts · Valentine’s Day and your dog: chocolate, flowers and xylitol.
- Return to the area hub: Running a kennel.