We love our dog’s inquisitive nature, but sometimes this can get him into trouble. Being curious animals and having that great predilection for rummaging through garbage cans and drawers, dogs are prone to eating or swallowing things they shouldn’t.
From medications and toxic substances to forbidden foods like grapes and chocolate, ingesting a potential poison can put us in a bind. Should I induce vomiting in my dog? How to make a dog vomit at home? What is the correct way to do it?
Keep reading below to find out when it is considered safe to make a dog vomit, what is the home remedy of choice to cause canine vomiting, what remedies you should never use when you should go to the vet… and much more.
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How to make a dog vomit at home?
When the dog has ingested something inappropriate, say an object, medicine, chemical, poisonous food, etc., vomiting is a quick way to expel the threat out of the body.
If the pet has eaten a toxic substance or poison , vomiting helps flush out the toxins before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. In many cases, inducing vomiting can effectively prevent toxicity.
However, knowing how to make a dog vomit at home safely is extremely important. Some owners try all sorts of methods to induce vomiting in their pets, ignoring that many popular home remedies can be useless, dangerous, and even fatal.
Steps to follow to make a dog vomit
According to specialized sources, the first thing to do in case of accidental ingestion is to call the veterinarian or an animal poison control center. You want to make sure that inducing vomiting is the most appropriate thing to do. Depending on the specific situation and the condition of the pet, this could cause injury or other damage.
Once you know that inducing vomiting is not dangerous, you can apply the following recommendations:
- Inspect the surroundings of the house and your dog’s mouth to remove any remains of what has been swallowed, as well as other potential poisons.
- If the dog hasn’t eaten in the last 2 hours, giving him a small meal can cause him to vomit quickly.
If this is not the case, or does not work, then you can resort to the safest and most effective home remedy to make dogs vomit: a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Note. Just below you will find information on how to prepare and administer this remedy. - Stay with the dog while it vomits. If the veterinarian suggests collecting a sample, do it quickly, preventing the pet from re-ingesting the expelled material.
- Observe how it evolves and pay attention to possible alarm symptoms, such as vomiting for more than 1 hour, diarrhea, lethargy, or swelling.
- If you have not been successful in making the dog vomit, or his condition seems to worsen after vomiting, it is best to see a vet.
Make a dog vomit with hydrogen peroxide
As we mentioned before, hydrogen peroxide or 3% hydrogen peroxide is the only really recommended remedy to make a dog vomit at home.
Why hydrogen peroxide?
The effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide as an inducer of vomiting lies in its irritating action on the dog’s gastric lining. Dogs usually vomit quite quickly after administration.
Of course, not just any type of hydrogen peroxide. A 3% concentrated solution should always be used, as higher concentrations can be detrimental to the health of the animal. In addition, you must make sure that the product has not expired; it will only work if it is bubbly. Using a new bottle is best.
Instructions:
- With the help of an oral syringe, extract 0.5 – 1 ml of hydrogen peroxide for each pound of body weight. For example, if your dog weighs 50 pounds, you could administer 25 to 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide at a time.
- Taking into account that 15 ml = 1 tablespoon, or 5 ml = 1 teaspoon, this amount could be measured in approximately 1.5 – 3.5 tablespoons. In general, the maximum dose of hydrogen peroxide for dogs weighing more than 45 pounds in 3 tablespoons maximum.
- With the dog sitting or standing, pull his upper lip back and insert the end of the syringe into the corner of his mouth.
- Keep his head upright and drop the hydrogen peroxide slowly into his mouth. Make sure the dog swallows the solution. You can also administer it in the form of squirts directed toward the back of the tongue.
- Next, have the dog walk or take a short walk around. This encourages the bubbling action of the hydrogen peroxide to irritate your stomach and cause you to vomit.
- If your dog has not vomited after 15-20 minutes, give a second dose of the same amount.
- If after 2 doses the dog still does not vomit, it is best to go to the vet immediately. In these cases, medication is usually administered to induce vomiting.
- Acting quickly is essential, as after 2 hours it may not be possible to empty the contents of the stomach. Both the poison ingested and the hydrogen peroxide could have passed into the small intestine.
Warning.
It is not recommended to make a dog vomit using the following home remedies:
- Mustard
- Shall
- Syrup of ipecac
- Milk
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Raw egg
You should also not try to induce vomiting by sticking your fingers down their throat.
When should I make my dog vomit?
Although there are no strict rules in this regard, here are some general guidelines to consider:
When to make your dog vomit immediately?
If you have ingested antifreeze. Antifreeze is rapidly absorbed through the gastric wall. Within 30 minutes or less after ingestion, the dog’s body will have absorbed enough antifreeze to cause kidney toxicity.
Once he has vomited, you should take him to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
When to make the dog vomit in a reasonable time?
In the case of ingesting human medicines, medicines from another animal, chemical substances, poisons, and food are not suitable for dogs.
If your doggo has swallowed an object or plastic, for example, a ball, a small toy, etc. It is important to consult the veterinarian first. Depending on the size of the object in question, inducing vomiting may or may not be a good idea. Sometimes it is necessary to remove it with an endoscope.
Talk to your vet about the real likelihood that the object will return to the throat with the help of vomiting.
When should you not make a dog vomit?
You probably shouldn’t make your dog vomit if:
- You drank an acidic substance, a household cleaner (bleach), a corrosive chemical (oven or drain cleaners, batteries, limescale removers), a petroleum product (kerosene, gasoline, motor oil), or ate a sharp object.
- Making him vomit in these cases can be risky, causing damage to the esophagus, stomach, and lungs. The recommendation is to do it safely under the direct supervision of a veterinarian.
- You doggy have something stuck in your throat.
- You have a health condition that puts you at risk of inhaling vomit into your lungs.
- It is a breed of brachycephalic dog (small and wide skull), such as Boxer, Pug, Pekingese, and Shih Tzu, among others.
- Is sedated, comatose, or shows signs of neurological impairment and seizures.
Never try to induce vomiting in a dog that does not appear clinically normal.