Pet Poisoning Treatment in Wake Forest, NC, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wake Forest is a vet in Wake Forest, NC, that treats dogs and cats who ate something they shouldn't have. If your pet just swallowed something toxic and is alert, call the clinic and come in right away. Time matters, because some treatments work best in the first hour or two.

Call (919) 891-6444 now and tell the team what your pet ate, how much and when.

When should I go to a 24-hour hospital instead?

Go straight to a 24-hour hospital if your pet is having a seizure, can't stand, is struggling to breathe, has collapsed or is not responding. Do the same if the clinic is closed. BluePearl Pet Hospital at 4640 Paragon Park Rd in Raleigh and the NC State Veterinary Hospital on William Moore Drive both offer 24-hour emergency care.

You can also call a pet poison hotline for advice on the way:

• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435

• Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661

Both may charge a fee. They give you a case number the vet can use.

What should I do first if my pet ate something toxic?

• Move your pet away from the source and keep the package, plant or wrapper.

• Note the time and your best guess of how much was eaten.

• Don't make your pet vomit at home unless a vet or hotline tells you to. Some items, like batteries or cleaners, burn on the way back up.

• Don't give milk, oil or salt. They can make things worse.

What are common pet poisons?

Many cases start in the kitchen or the yard:

• Chocolate, grapes and raisins, and onions or garlic

• Sugar-free gum, candy or peanut butter with xylitol

• Human medicines, like ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen and ADHD pills

• Rat and mouse bait, and slug bait

• Lilies, which harm a cat's kidneys even from pollen or vase water

• Antifreeze, which tastes sweet to pets

Across Petfolk, about 1 in 33 sick visits (3%) was for a pet that ate or swallowed something it shouldn't have, from October 2025 to September 2026. Dogs were behind about 3 in 4 of the suspected poisoning visits.

How do you treat poisoning?

The vet starts with an exam and your story. Treatment depends on what was eaten and when, and may include:

• Making your pet vomit safely in the clinic, if it is early enough

• Activated charcoal to soak up some toxins in the gut

• Blood work to check the liver, kidneys and clotting

• X-rays to look for a swallowed object

Across Petfolk in that year, about 1 in 4 suspected poisoning visits included blood work (27%), and 1 in 5 included x-rays (20%). Fear Free handling keeps the visit as calm as possible for a scared pet.

My corgi ate a rubber ball. They took him in immediately after I called and had us out in 30 minutes.

Joshua M., Google review

Algae at Falls Lake and local ponds

NC environmental officials say some blue-green algae make toxins linked to harm in pets. Blooms can look like spilled paint, or green, blue, red or brown scum on the water. Keep your dog out of discolored or scummy water at Falls Lake and neighborhood ponds. If your dog swims in it, rinse them off with clean water and call the clinic.

Holiday tables and yard work

Risks rise with the calendar. Turkey skin, fatty drippings and cooked bones from holiday meals can upset the stomach or the pancreas. Fall and spring yard work brings out fertilizer, snail bait and cocoa bean mulch, which smells sweet to dogs. Store bags in a closed shed, keep pets inside while you spread them, and take the trash out after a big meal.

Cost of treatment

An urgent exam starts at $135. Tests and treatment are added only after you've seen the plan. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.

Come in now

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wake Forest is at 3600 Rogers Branch Rd, Suite 103, Wake Forest, NC 27587. If vomiting starts later, see vomiting and diarrhea treatment. For lab checks after a scare, see blood work and lab testing.

Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Wake Forest, or see all veterinary services in Wake Forest.