Monitor — routine vet appointment

Puppy-proofing your home

Walk through your home at puppy height and remove or secure every hazard before your puppy arrives. Many common household items can kill a puppy — preparation is far easier than treatment.

Dog

In the next 60 seconds

PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — KITCHEN:
Store all food containing chocolate, grapes, raisins, currants, xylitol, onion, garlic, and macadamia nuts in sealed cupboards with child-proof latches.
Secure all bins with a lid or inside a locked cupboard — puppy bin raiding is a common cause of emergency vet visits.
Never leave food unattended on low surfaces during the settling-in period.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — MEDICATIONS:
Check all handbags, rucksacks, gym bags, and coat pockets for medications — particularly ibuprofen, paracetamol, contraceptive pills, and antidepressants — and store securely in a high, locked medicine cabinet.
Educate all visitors — puppies investigate handbags left on the floor.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — PLANTS AND GARDEN:
Identify all plants in your home and garden using an online resource (the Dogs Trust toxic plant list is a good UK reference).
Priority UK hazardous plants to remove or fence off: laburnum (seeds especially toxic — can be fatal), yew (berries and leaves), foxglove (all parts), bluebells, daffodil and narcissus bulbs, ivy, lily of the valley, rhododendron, azalea.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — CABLES AND ELECTRICS:
Secure all exposed cables using cable trunking, spiral cable wrap, or cord concealers — run along walls or behind furniture.
Unplug chargers not in use — charging cables are a particular favourite for puppies.
Consider using bitter apple spray on cables that cannot be fully concealed.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — SMALL OBJECTS:
Get down on hands and knees and check floors from puppy level — collect all coins, hair bobbles, rubber bands, batteries, children's toys with small parts, socks, and other small items.
Button batteries are particularly dangerous — cause severe chemical burns internally within 2 hours of ingestion — always store safely.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — STAIRS AND SPACES:
Use stair gates to prevent unsupervised access to stairs until 12–18 months (depending on breed size) — repeated stair use before growth plates close can cause long-term joint damage.
Block access under furniture where puppies can wedge themselves.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — GARDEN SECURITY:
Walk the entire perimeter of your garden at ground level, looking for gaps, loose panels, and dig-under opportunities.
Ensure all gates are self-closing and latched — ideally with a secondary clip.
IF INGESTION IS SUSPECTED:
Note what was ingested, how much, and when.
Call your vet or the Animal Poison Line (0800 213 6784 — UK — charges may apply) immediately.
Do NOT induce vomiting without veterinary advice — dangerous for some toxins.
Bring the product/substance packaging to the vet if possible.

Recognise the signs

GENERAL SIGNS OF TOXIC INGESTION: sudden vomiting and/or diarrhoea, lethargy, abdominal pain, trembling or seizures, collapse, pale or yellow-tinged gums, increased or decreased urination
CHOCOLATE: vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity and restlessness, muscle tremors, seizures — severity depends on type (dark chocolate and baking chocolate most toxic) and amount
GRAPES/RAISINS: vomiting, anorexia, lethargy — acute kidney failure can develop within 24–48 hours even after apparently small amounts
XYLITOL (artificial sweetener in many chewing gums, sugar-free peanut butters, some baked goods): vomiting, rapid collapse, hypoglycaemia (blood sugar crash), seizures; liver failure possible
IBUPROFEN/PARACETAMOL: vomiting, lethargy, pallor (paracetamol causes severe liver damage); kidney damage
FOREIGN BODY INGESTION: retching, gagging, repeated vomiting (especially projectile), abdominal pain, refusal to eat, constipation, lethargy

First aid steps

PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — KITCHEN:
Store all food containing chocolate, grapes, raisins, currants, xylitol, onion, garlic, and macadamia nuts in sealed cupboards with child-proof latches.
Secure all bins with a lid or inside a locked cupboard — puppy bin raiding is a common cause of emergency vet visits.
Never leave food unattended on low surfaces during the settling-in period.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — MEDICATIONS:
Check all handbags, rucksacks, gym bags, and coat pockets for medications — particularly ibuprofen, paracetamol, contraceptive pills, and antidepressants — and store securely in a high, locked medicine cabinet.
Educate all visitors — puppies investigate handbags left on the floor.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — PLANTS AND GARDEN:
Identify all plants in your home and garden using an online resource (the Dogs Trust toxic plant list is a good UK reference).
Priority UK hazardous plants to remove or fence off: laburnum (seeds especially toxic — can be fatal), yew (berries and leaves), foxglove (all parts), bluebells, daffodil and narcissus bulbs, ivy, lily of the valley, rhododendron, azalea.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — CABLES AND ELECTRICS:
Secure all exposed cables using cable trunking, spiral cable wrap, or cord concealers — run along walls or behind furniture.
Unplug chargers not in use — charging cables are a particular favourite for puppies.
Consider using bitter apple spray on cables that cannot be fully concealed.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — SMALL OBJECTS:
Get down on hands and knees and check floors from puppy level — collect all coins, hair bobbles, rubber bands, batteries, children's toys with small parts, socks, and other small items.
Button batteries are particularly dangerous — cause severe chemical burns internally within 2 hours of ingestion — always store safely.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — STAIRS AND SPACES:
Use stair gates to prevent unsupervised access to stairs until 12–18 months (depending on breed size) — repeated stair use before growth plates close can cause long-term joint damage.
Block access under furniture where puppies can wedge themselves.
PRE-PUPPY CHECKLIST — GARDEN SECURITY:
Walk the entire perimeter of your garden at ground level, looking for gaps, loose panels, and dig-under opportunities.
Ensure all gates are self-closing and latched — ideally with a secondary clip.
IF INGESTION IS SUSPECTED:
Note what was ingested, how much, and when.
Call your vet or the Animal Poison Line (0800 213 6784 — UK — charges may apply) immediately.
Do NOT induce vomiting without veterinary advice — dangerous for some toxins.
Bring the product/substance packaging to the vet if possible.

Do NOT

Do NOT induce vomiting in a dog at home unless specifically instructed by a vet — this is dangerous with some toxins and in some circumstances
Do NOT give milk — a common myth for poisoning, it provides no benefit and can worsen diarrhoea
Do NOT wait and see if a confirmed toxic ingestion has occurred — many poisons cause irreversible organ damage before outward signs appear
Do NOT assume that because a food is safe for humans it is safe for puppies
Do NOT leave puppies unsupervised until the home is fully proofed

While transporting to the vet

When to phone the vet immediately

Any confirmed or suspected ingestion of chocolate (especially dark), grapes/raisins, xylitol, any medication, or any toxic plant
Button battery ingestion — immediate surgical emergency
Foreign body that may be causing obstruction (repeated vomiting, abdominal pain, not passing stools)
Seizures or loss of consciousness
Suspected fall from height with any limping or pain

When it can usually wait

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Common causes

Toxic food ingestion — chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol, onion/garlic, macadamia nuts, cooked bones
Toxic plant ingestion — laburnum, yew, foxglove, bluebells, daffodil bulbs, ivy, lily of the valley
Cable and charger chewing — electrocution and oral burns
Swallowing small foreign objects — children's toys, hair bobbles, coins, buttons, batteries
Falls on stairs before musculoskeletal development is complete
Escaping through garden gaps — road traffic accident risk
Medication ingestion — ibuprofen, paracetamol from accessible handbags or surfaces most common

What you'll need

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What the vet will need to know

What was ingested, how much, and when
Any symptoms that have developed and when
Puppy's weight
Puppy's age and breed
Current vaccination and worming status
Any other pets in the household (some toxins affect other pets through secondary exposure)

Aftercare

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Prevention

Complete the full pre-puppy checklist before the puppy comes home — not after the first incident
Designate a 'puppy-safe room' for times when the puppy cannot be supervised
Invest in a puppy pen/playpen as a safe space during cooking or other high-risk household activities
Educate every member of the household and regular visitors about what the puppy cannot eat
Keep the Animal Poison Line number saved in your phone: 0800 213 6784
Keep your vet's emergency out-of-hours number saved — find this before you need it
Enroll in a puppy training class — good supervision habits and 'leave it' / 'drop it' training save lives

Breed-specific notes

Frequently asked questions

What are the most dangerous toxins for puppies in UK homes?

The most common life-threatening puppy toxin exposures in the UK are: ibuprofen (Nurofen) and paracetamol (Calpol, Panadol) from handbags; grapes and raisins (including in fruit cake, mince pies, and cereal); xylitol in some peanut butters and chewing gums; dark chocolate; and rat/mouse poison (rodenticide). All require immediate veterinary attention if ingested.

Can puppies eat peanut butter?

Some peanut butters are safe in small amounts as a treat — but only those that do not contain xylitol. Always check the ingredients label carefully before giving peanut butter to a dog. Brands that frequently change their formulations are a particular concern — check the label every time, not just once.

Is it safe to let a puppy use the stairs?

Occasional stair use is unlikely to cause harm, but repetitive use before growth plates close increases the risk of joint problems in later life — particularly in large and giant breeds. As a general guide, limit stair access for large breeds until 12–18 months. Carry small puppies on stairs where possible. A stair gate is a practical and inexpensive solution.

My puppy has eaten some of my houseplant. What should I do?

Identify the plant as accurately as possible — take a photograph of the leaves and flowers. Call the Animal Poison Line (0800 213 6784) or your vet with the plant identification. If you cannot identify the plant and your puppy is showing any symptoms at all, go to the vet. Some of the most toxic UK houseplants include lilies (deadly for cats but also toxic for dogs), sago palm, and dumb cane (Dieffenbachia).

What is the Animal Poison Line and is it free?

The Animal Poison Line (APL) is a dedicated UK veterinary toxicology helpline operated by the Veterinary Poisons Information Service. The number is 0800 213 6784. There may be a consultation charge — check their website for current pricing. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your vet can also call the VPIS directly on behalf of your pet.

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