As joyful as pet ownership is, there is a degree of anxiety that comes with it. What if something happens to them? What if they get sick? How much will the vet bill be this time? And while there are things that will always be out of your control, there are ways to prepare, and possibly prevent, a worst-case scenario.For those overly curious and tenacious pets, a worst-case scenario may be accidental poisoning after ingesting something toxic to them. Dr. Angela Silva, chief veterinarian at Petco, told HuffPost about the life-saving potential of activated charcoal treatments (when used safely and with the guidance of a vet).“Activated charcoal binds to toxins in the digestive tract, acting like an absorptive agent or a sponge to help prevent poisons from entering the bloodstream. The bound toxins are then excreted in the pets’ stool,” Silva said.She explained that activated charcoal has been shown to decrease absorption of aspirin, carprofen and acetaminophen into the GI tract of dogs and cats, and mentioned one market option in particular.“Products like The Dr. Cuddles Ready Rescue charcoal treatment can provide pet parents with a critical, fast-acting tool to help neutralize toxins at home,” she said. “This treatment is veterinarian-formulated, easy to administer and effective at preventing absorption of ingested toxins such as chocolate, human medications and more.”Made from 99.9% pure veterinary-grade carbon — which the brand claims to be six times more absorbent than current veterinary hospital solutions — pet owners need only to mix the correct dosage of powder into a small amount of food or water at first suspicion of poisoning. The dosage is determined based on your cat or dog’s weight, and even if poisoning didn’t occur, the Ready Rescue is still safe to consume. But Silva cautions that the treatment does have its limitations and should never be used as a replacement for professional medical care, but rather as a mitigating solution until your pet can be seen and treated by a vet. “Activated charcoal doesn’t work on everything – it is useless against antifreeze, bleach and heavy metals,” Silva said, adding that it will not significantly absorb small molecules such as alcohols, ions, salts (like fertilizers and nitrates) and most metals (with chelated iron being an exception).Bearing that in mind, real Ready Rescue users are thanking this treatment for offering them peace of mind and are keeping it on hand just in case.“My dog ate an entire gingerbread house during the holidays and we gave him Ready Rescue. He consumed all of the vial in his dry food and was totally fine and had no diarrhea,” one Amazon customer claimed.According to Silva, pet parents should look at the whole picture — the pet’s health, the specific toxin and the clock — to determine if the treatment will help more than it could harm. For instance, if a pet is lethargic or can’t swallow, you should never force-feed the treatment as the pet may inhale the charcoal and cause aspiration.“I recommend that pet parents always contact a veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline before dosing the treatment to ensure it is appropriate for the specific toxin ingested and that the dosage is safe for their pet’s size and condition,” Silva said.You can never take too many precautions when it comes to the well-being of your beloved pet, which, in my opinion, makes this $30 treatment a very small price to pay. Grab yourself a vial (or several) to have on standby, or read more testimonials from pet parents below.Promising Amazon reviews:“I bought this to have on hand at home in case of an emergency with my puppy. I learned this is what veterinary offices use for ingestion and thought it would be a good idea for the house due to it’s obvious effectiveness and ease of use. It is small and easily fits in the cabinet. The price is reasonable, too. My puppy is curious and tenacious and puts everything in her mouth. It is a relief to have ReadyRESCUE available if I ever need it.” — Amazon customer“I recently had a scare with my beloved dog, Luna, when she ingested something potentially poisonous. Thankfully, I had Dr. Cuddles’ Ready Rescue Pet Detox on hand, which turned out to be a life-saver! This product not only saved us from unnecessary vet visits but also provided us with peace of mind during a stressful situation.When it comes to Luna eating something she shouldn’t, I’ve tried other products in the past, but they were ineffective and only added to our worries. However, Dr. Cuddles’ Ready Rescue Pet Detox was a game-changer. Its effectiveness in quickly neutralizing toxins within Luna’s system was truly impressive.What sets this product apart is its ease of use. The straightforward instructions made it simple for me to administer the detox to Luna, and she had no issues taking it. The fact that it worked effortlessly without causing any additional stress or discomfort for my dog was a huge relief.Not only did Dr. Cuddles’ Ready Rescue Pet Detox save us from unnecessary vet visits, but it also saved Luna’s life. I cannot express how grateful I am to have had this product on hand when we needed it most.Its effectiveness and ease of use make it a must-have in every pet owner’s emergency kit. Trust me, you won’t regret having this life-saving product readily available for your furry friends!!!” — michelle togliatti“Must have for dog parents. My dog ate an entire gingerbread house during the holidays and we gave him Ready Rescue. He consumed all of the vial in his dry food and was totally fine and had no diarrhea. And there was no mess like you’d get from traditional charcoal products. We keep a supply of Ready Rescue on hand just in case.” — Amazon customerThe experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.