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Emergency

Can I give my cat or dog acetaminophen (paracetamol)?

For a cat, part of one tablet can be enough. Never give human medicines without your vet.

DogCaution
CatDangerous
Call your vet right away, even if your pet seems fine.Signs can show up hours or days later. This page helps you on the phone: it doesn’t replace the vet.

What the sources say

  • No. Cats can’t turn acetaminophen into a harmless substance the way people and dogs do: toxins form that damage the liver and red blood cells. Even part of one tablet can kill a cat.
  • It’s also in combination medicines, together with codeine, caffeine, aspirin, ibuprofen or decongestants.
  • Signs usually show within 4 hours, almost always within 6–24 hours: gums and tongue turning brown, weakness, tiredness, a fast heartbeat, fast and labored breathing, vomiting, not eating, crying out.
  • Not for dogs either: the PDSA says never to give a pet a human medicine unless your vet tells you to.

Who to call: the numbers Search something else

What to do now

  1. Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet now, even if your pet seems fine: signs can take hours or days to show.
  2. Move your pet away from what it ate and take away what's left. If some is still in its mouth, offer a toy so it lets go.
  3. If the substance is on its fur or skin, wash it off with a mild shampoo and water, then rinse well and dry.
  4. Keep the packaging, the label or a piece of the plant, or take a photo, and bring it with you.
  5. Tell the vet what your pet swallowed, roughly how much and when.

What not to do

  • Don't make it vomit unless the vet tells you to.
  • Don't use salt water: it's extremely dangerous.
  • Don't try to treat your pet yourself or give it medicines: some medicines for people and other animals are poisonous to pets.
  • Don't wait for signs to appear.

Sources