If your dog or cat ate something toxic, call a vet right away, before signs appear, and bring the wrapper, pill bottle or plant with you. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is a vet clinic on Ballantyne Commons Parkway in Charlotte, North Carolina, that treats pets who have eaten chocolate, grapes or raisins, xylitol, medicines, household chemicals and toxic plants.
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital now if your pet is having a seizure, has collapsed, is struggling to breathe, or ate something caustic like drain cleaner or a battery. Petfolk Ballantyne does not provide overnight care. For everything else, call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
What should I do first if my pet ate something toxic?
Stop the exposure, then call Petfolk Ballantyne or a poison control line within minutes.
Stop the exposure. Move your pet away and pick up what is left. If something is on the fur, keep your pet from licking it.
Save the evidence. Keep the wrapper, pill bottle, plant cutting or a photo of the label. Note roughly how much is missing and when it happened, so the vet can estimate the dose.
Call before you drive. Call Petfolk Ballantyne at (980) 300-6982 so the team can get ready. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, (888) 426-4435, and the Pet Poison Helpline, (855) 764-7661, can also tell you how toxic the amount is; both charge a consultation fee.
Do not make your pet vomit at home. Salt, hydrogen peroxide or fingers down the throat can cause more harm, and vomiting is the wrong move for caustic products, sharp objects and some oils.
Don't wait for signs. Xylitol, a sweetener in some sugar-free gum, and lily pollen in cats can cause harm before a pet looks sick.
Dogs, weekends and same-day calls
At Petfolk Ballantyne, 3.6% of sick visits are for a pet that ate or swallowed something it shouldn't have, and dogs are behind 91% of those visits (October 2025 to September 2026).
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics in the same period, 85% of these visits were booked the same day, and 44% happened on a Saturday or Sunday.
What happens at a poisoning visit at Petfolk Ballantyne?
The vet examines your pet and works out what was eaten and how much. Fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, which matters when a pet is queasy and frightened. Depending on the toxin and the time since it was eaten, treatment may include:
Medicine to make your pet vomit, if it is early enough and safe for that toxin.
Activated charcoal, which binds some toxins in the gut.
Blood work to check the liver, kidneys and blood sugar. It was part of 32% of suspected poisoning visits at Petfolk Ballantyne (October 2025 to September 2026).
X-rays to look for swallowed objects, part of 21% of those visits in the same period.
Fluids to support the kidneys and flush some toxins.
You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. If your pet needs overnight monitoring, the team will arrange transfer to a 24-hour hospital. For an upset stomach with no known toxin, see vomiting and diarrhea treatment at Petfolk Ballantyne.
I made an appointment when my puppy ate all the pain meds she was given after being spayed the day before. Betsy F., Google review
Which plants around Charlotte homes are toxic to pets?
Sago palm is the one Petfolk Ballantyne most wants Charlotte pet parents to know. It is often grown in containers on patios, and NC State Extension lists it as highly toxic to pets: all parts contain cycasin, and the seeds hold the most. The ASPCA's toxic plant list also flags these:
Sago palm. Can cause vomiting, bleeding problems and liver failure in dogs and cats.
Azaleas and rhododendrons. Toxic in large amounts, with a risk of heart rhythm problems and seizures.
Lilies. Severely toxic to cats. Pollen licked off the fur or a sip of vase water can cause kidney failure.
If you are moving into a new home in Indian Trail or nearby, walk the yard and check the plants before your dog has free run of it.
Hours and how to find us
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is at 5335 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28277, and is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week. Calling ahead lets a vet in Ballantyne prepare for your pet's arrival. The AVMA has more general pet safety reading for the home.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, or see all veterinary services in Ballantyne.
If your pet ate something toxic
Head to Ballantyne Commons Parkway