So there we were this weekend, visiting my in-laws in Friday Harbor, WA, when I realized that Chloe was chewing not on her bully stick but on the container of eye-drops my mother-in-law had left on the coffee table. My father-in-law assured me that they had more of the eye-drops (a prescription drug for treating glaucoma) in the bathroom, not to worry — not realizing that my main concern was for Chloe’s health.

Happily, she’d only mangled and emptied the bottle, not swallowed it, and I found the cap as well, so my worries really focused on the solution itself and its possible effect on a small dog. There are a couple of excellent veterinarians on San Juan Island, thank goodness, but there’s no local emergency vet — and I didn’t actually know if I had an emergency on my hands.

Within moments, my husband found a web page for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. It’s available 24/7 and is staffed by doctors who answer the phone themselves — and answer your questions right away. There is a $65 fee per call, but that seemed fair for the quick answer, the quality of care I received and the wacky time of night I called. (It turns out that my in-laws’ glaucoma drops might cause Chloe some vomiting or diarrhea, so we followed instructions and gave her a half-slice of bread and a biscuit and watched her and her output for a couple of days. All was well, and Chloe was thrilled to learn about bread.)

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
1-888-426-4435

I urge you to add the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center to your phones and Rolodexes — what a relief to know that this kind of resource is instantly available wherever you can find a phone or phone coverage.