Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024

Pets can encounter a multitude of potential toxins every day, but the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline have released their annual list of the Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024 based on actual caller data.

“Although there are thousands of potential toxins, some items rise to the top of the list every year,” said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. “Although this year’s lists for dogs and cats is very similar to 2023, the order has changed slightly and the differences between dogs and cats continue to be significant.”

The Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024 for dogs were:

1. Chocolate
2. Grapes/Raisins
3. Bromethalin
4. Xylitol
5. Ibuprofen
6. Marijuana (THC)
7. Anticoagulant Rodenticides
8. Vitamin D3 (overdose)
9. Carprofen (overdose)
10. Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots (Allium species)

“One shift we saw from 2023 to 2024 was bromethalin (rodenticide) moved up the list two places from fifth to third place,” Dr. Schmid explained. “Carprofen also moved up one place from tenth to ninth. Carprofen calls are predominantly due to the wrong pet ingesting the medication or an overdose occurring, not from normal therapeutic use.”

The Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024 for cats were:

1. Lilies (Lilium species)
2. Chocolate
3. Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots (Allium species)
4. Garlic
5. Ibuprofen
6. Alstroemeria, Peruvian Lily
7. Vitamin D3 (overdose)
8. Amphetamine Combos
9. Carprofen
10. Tulips

“As you can see, the list of Top 10 Pet Poisons for cats is significantly different than it is for dogs,” Dr. Schmid said. “The biggest difference is that specific lilies are extremely dangerous to cats, while chocolate is the biggest temptation for dogs, based on the calls received to our call center.”

Marijuana continues to be a major concern for dog owners. As more and more states legalized medical and recreational marijuana, Pet Poison Helpline saw a significant increase in THC-related exposures. In fact, from 2019 to 2023, there was a 430% increase in marijuana-related calls.

In 2024, there was a 24.7% decrease in the number of calls regarding marijuana compared to 2023, but it was not enough to knock it out of sixth place on the dog list. “We’ve done a significant amount of educational outreach around the dangers of THC exposure, so I’d like to think our efforts helped move the needle in the right direction,” Dr. Schmid explained.

“Even if you don’t use marijuana, your pet can still be exposed,” Dr. Schmid added. “We’ve seen cases where dogs have gotten into a neighbor’s pot brownies, or a visitor brings a THC-infused treat into a pet’s environment without the owner’s knowledge. Based on our call data, dogs are far more likely to be attracted to marijuana than cats.”

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Posted by Liz on Jan 13 2025. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.