Acetaminophen rises to 2025 Top 10 pet poisons in 2025

The Pet Poison Helpline released its annual “Top 10 Pet Poisons” lists for dogs and cats, highlighting the toxins most frequently reported to their call center in North America over the past year. In 2025, many familiar household hazards remained, but a new item appeared on both the canine and feline lists: acetaminophen.

This new “Top 10” toxin is linked to an increase in influenza (flu) cases across the US, as many cold and flu medications contain acetaminophen. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza activity in the 2024-2025 season (September 29, 2024 – August 30, 2025) was the most severe influenza season since 2017-2018, with the CDC classifying this past season as “high severity.”² Last month, the federal public health agency saw an especially high surge in influenza cases,³ with activity remaining elevated to date.⁴

“With more cold and flu medicine available in households, it makes sense that curious pets would find it and ingest it," Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at the Pet Poison Helpline, explained in a news release by Pet Poison Helpline.¹ "Many of those cold and flu medications contain acetaminophen.”

Acetaminophen poses a severe toxicity risk to cats

For cats, acetaminophen’s toxicity level is severe, as their liver is not able to efficiently metabolize the drug, putting them at far greater risk of toxicity than most other species.⁵ Dogs also face a risk, with Pet Poison Helpline classifying the risk to these animals as moderate.

Common signs of acetaminophen toxicity include^5,6:

• Lethargy
• Swelling of the face, paws, and/or forelimbs
• Difficulty breathing
• Brown or blue gums
• Vomiting
• Drooling
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Jaundice
• Liver damage (characterized by dark urine, discolored feces, polyuria, polydipsia, enlarged abdomen)
• Elevated heart rate

• Cyanosis
• Methemoglobinemia

“Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2025” canine and feline lists

Dogs

In addition to acetaminophen making its way on the 2025 “Top 10 Pet Poisons” canine list, other changes include some items shifting up and down the list. The list is as follows:

1. Chocolate
2. Grapes/Raisins
3. Bromethalin
4. Xylitol

5. Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots (Allium species)

6. Ibuprofen

7. Vitamin D3 (overdose)

8. Marijuana (THC)

9. Anticoagulant rodenticides

10. Acetaminophen

"The biggest shift was onion exposures, which shot from number 10 in 2024 to number [5] this past year," Schmid explained.¹ "Acetaminophen also made the list at number 10 and carprofen fell off the list."

Cats

"Cats have very different tastes than dogs, so the list of “Top 10 Pet Poisons” for cats is significantly different than for dogs," Schmid said.¹

"The biggest difference is that specific lilies are extremely enticing to cats, while chocolate is the biggest temptation for dogs, based on the calls received to our call center. Lilium sp lilies pose a great risk for causing kidney failure in cats and can be deadly if ingested. For cats, garlic fell off the list, which had taken the fourth spot, and grapes and acetaminophen were added”, Schmid continued.

The 2025 Top 10 list of toxins for cats is as follows:

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

"While these [toxins for cats and dogs] are not necessarily the most toxic poisons, they are the most frequently encountered by pets,” said Schmid.¹

References

1. Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2025. Pet Poison Helpline. January 14, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/top-10-pet-poisons-of-2025-302660204.html

2. Influenza Activity in the United States during the 2024–25 Season and Composition of the 2025–26 Influenza Vaccine. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 26, 2025. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/whats-new/2025-2026-influenza-activity.html

3. Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 51, ending December 20, 2025. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 30, 2025. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-51.html

4. Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 53, ending January 3, 2026. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 9, 2026. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-53.html

5. Acetaminophen. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/acetaminophen/

6. Schmid R, Brutlag A, Downing R. Acetaminophen poisoning in cats. VCA Animal Hospitals. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/acetaminophen-toxicity-in-cats

7. Coppock K. Marijuana is among the 2023 Top 10 pet toxins. dvm360. December 14, 2023. Accessed January 14, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/marijuana-is-among-the-2023-top-10-pet-toxins