I consider myself to be a specialist in inducing emesis in animals, similar to having a PhD in the field. I frequently give this advice to our callers who own dogs after I’ve triaged their cases. An encounter I just had with a service dog puppy that I am training for Pets Loyal 2Vet inspired me to write this. Her name is Liberty, and at only five months old, she is certainly a challenge. We go for a walk every day with one of my other dogs, and the two of them have a blast. Well, let’s pretend they stop being mischievous on their own so we can train them a little without all the attitude that puppies sometimes have!
We are surrounded by a lot of wide-open places, and our dogs spend a lot of time running loose in the fields and on the gravel road. To strengthen their recalls, I call them back to me regularly before releasing them once more. It so happened that Liberty took a little longer than usual to gallop back to me today since she was obviously interested in something in the recently cut alfalfa field. She seized it out of nowhere and ran to me, but she never fully finished the recall and remained just out of my reach so that I wouldn’t take her prize. The prize appeared to be a dead rodent—and a really unpleasant one! It had already been swallowed by the time I tackled her, leaving only the stink of something that was dead and rotting.
Every dog owner has had the feeling of frantically trying to remove something from their dog’s jaws that you believe might hurt them and then catching a last glimpse of it as it falls. What will we do next? It’s time for me to triage my own dog and decide what would be the greatest thing for her going forward. I had no idea what it was, but I was certain that it was rotten. What caused it to die? It most certainly got trapped in the mower because the hay field had just been mowed; yet, the farmer could have been dispersing poison, but I seriously doubted that. So how can it be established whether or not my dog will be harmed by this dead, decaying rodent? Is the dead animal poisonous, making my puppy ill after eating it? Is there anything about my dog’s anatomy, abnormalities, or issues that would make her making vomit worse? Is she still awake? Will making her throw up likely make things worse?
So let’s examine each risk individually:
It’s highly likely that yepthat will make her ill because it’s a dead, rotting animal. The bare least would be diarrhea and vomiting. If it were constant diarrhea and vomiting, we would eventually have electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. Therefore, the answer is “yes” on this one. Go fetch the peroxide bottle now! Whoa, hold on, there’s still more to assess! When they get the peroxide bottle and prematurely, in a panic, pour it down the dog’s throat, making the whole problem immensely worse, I see folks call me at this point.
The next stage in triage is to determine whether the dead animal has poison. Well, I don’t know! I have no interest in taking the chance that she might be toxic. So there are now two votes in favor of vomiting.
Deformities, anatomical difficulties, or worries that might make the circumstances worse would be the next area of worry. Does she have any medical conditions that could make vomiting potentially fatal, such as a megaesophagus, a history of seizures, or a stomach that has been surgically flattened to minimize bloating? Is the dog a Bulldog, Pug, French bulldog, or another breed with a pushed-in face that is susceptible to aspirating vomit due to an elongated palate? When someone aspirates, vomit enters their lungs and develops into a potentially lethal pneumonia. This is the third vote in favor of getting the peroxide because Liberty is a healthy Labrador and German shepherd mix with no known health issues. On to the following issue!
Is she awake? She certainly is rushing around, happy with her excess! It is impossible to make an unconscious dog vomit. First of all, because they are unable to swallow the peroxide, it enters their lungs and causes aspiration pneumonia, a potentially lethal condition. If it should ever reach their gut. Since they can’t get the vomit out of their mouths and it enters their lungs when they breathe, they will aspirate it. The similar issue arises when dogs consume drugs that are quickly absorbed and render them unconscious after receiving peroxide but before they vomit. Once more, when this occurs, aspiration is a possibility. This is Libby’s fourth affirmative vote in favor of moving on with emesis induction.
Ok, will making her throw up likely make this situation worse? What am I referring to here? Is it a huge or pointy object that could become caught or harm the esophagus as it comes back up? Is there something toxic about it? (i.e., battery or concentrated toilet bowl cleaner for example). Vomiting is the last thing we should be doing if it can harm while going down and then double the harm when coming back up. The creature was small—probably the size of a mole—and I did not notice anything pointy about it. A 35 pound puppy ought to have no trouble raising this. So, 5 people voted in favor of throwing up.
How do we make someone throw up? We frequently receive calls from people who have used salt or another online treatment to induce emesis and have done significant harm as a result. Many dogs that have had salt inductions develop salt toxicosis. Sadly, it generally turns up that whatever they first consumed was benign and that no emesis induction was necessary. Unfortunately, they had to spend a few days in the hospital getting their electrolytes back to normal. We only advise using 3% hydrogen peroxide to make dogs vomit, and that’s the only item we advise doing so. Not salt, mustard, dishwashing liquid, etc. We advise using freshly opened bottles of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Old peroxide doesn’t function well since it might become flat and lose its power to froth.
So I gave Liberty a slice of plain white bread with 1 tablespoon of fresh hydrogen peroxide and placed it in her feeding dish. She devoured it immediately because she is a chow hound, and I then began to stroll her around. She successfully vomited up a foul-smelling, dead mole in approximately five minutes after starting to walk. I would have upped the amount and kept walking her if she hadn’t vomited in the following 15 minutes. My next course of action would have been to see our neighborhood veterinarian to find another way to make her puke if she had not done so already. In order to avoid more severe gastrointestinal irritation, we never use peroxide more than twice. Be aware that while the bread functions wonderfully with the first dose, we rarely have as good results with the second dose. A second dose typically needs to be administered orally via a syringe or another method, with care taken to ensure that the dog is swallowing it and that it does not enter their lungs.
In some circumstances, throwing up on your dog can save its life! But every factor needs to be properly weighed. Because I take your pet’s health as seriously as I do my own pet’s health, every time a pet owner calls me about an exposure, I weigh all of these factors and then give my best advice for your particular pet, with their unique health concerns and exposure risks! We are here around-the-clock to assist you with your pet and when you assess the benefits and hazards. When veterinary care is necessary to treat the exposure, our charge includes all follow-up. This means that your veterinarian can treat your pet as long as necessary, around the clock, in collaboration with our veterinary staff and toxicological staff. I can assure you that if Liberty had been poisoned by the decaying, dead object she consumed, I would want the people I work with to be my veterinarian’s first point of contact for advice and care—they are the best! I’m happy to report that Liberty is doing well and has resumed her juvenile delinquent behavior!
And now for my SPECIAL PSA on cats! There is no safe way to induce vomiting in cats at home because they are a peculiar species. If they need to vomit, they must visit your veterinarian. Hydrogen peroxide can cause hemorrhagic gastroenteritis or ulcers, as well as diarrhea and bloody vomit.
What concentration of hydrogen peroxide will sicken a dog?
If your veterinarian has advised you to try to induce vomiting in your dog, they will provide you with instructions on what to use and how much. Typically, your veterinarian will advise using 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
Dr. Jennifer Coates of PetMD advises that the steps listed below can be safely used to induce vomiting in your dog in case of an emergency1. One milliliter (ml) of hydrogen peroxide should be administered for every pound of body weight. One teaspoon is about equal to 5 ml, hence there should be one teaspoon for every pound of body weight. If your dog doesn’t throw up within 15 minutes, you can provide the medication once more.
How long will my dog vomit after giving hydrogen peroxide?
Your dog may vomit for up to 45 minutes after receiving the appropriate dose of hydrogen peroxide. As much as you can, strive to maintain their comfort and calm.
What occurs if a dog doesn’t pass hydrogen peroxide in a poop?
I can still clearly remember how terrified I was five years ago when I looked up to find my beloved Bouvier, Axel, who was 12 at the time, stretching out his neck, giving a gulp, and swallowing the IQube Puzzle Plush squeaky plush ball that he had been sucking on.
I gasped as I stared at him, thinking, “Has he actually just quaffed that thing?” Should I attempt to persuade him to vomit it back up?
One of the scariest times for pet parents is when their pets swallow a hazardous object, whether it be a toy, medication, food item, or whatever. Would you know whether to cause vomiting for your dog if it ate anything harmful?
In Axel’s case, I didn’t even attempt; instead, I rushed him to an urgent care animal hospital, where they made my dog throw up. The ball persisted in his tummy despite their best attempts. He was given the go-ahead for us to bring him home and watch him for any indications of discomfort.
Today, an adolescent Bouvier named Atle lives with my husband and me. Atle is no more likely than the next adolescent dog to eat unsuitable stuff (which is, rather likely! ), but I’ve decided it’s high time I learned how to make my dog spew up in an emergency.
How To Induce Vomiting in Dogs
At BluePearl-Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Atlanta, where she spends most of her time in the ICU and ER and handles anywhere between 4 and 10 poisoning cases a week, Dr. Jennifer Pittman is a critical care specialist. Toxicology is just up her alley, and as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, she would appreciate the chance to speak with a pet owner before the owner provokes vomiting.
Additionally, causing vomiting carries some danger of potential side effects, like the possibility of aspirating vomit and developing pneumonia. The risk of making your dog vomit can be weighed against what your dog has consumed by speaking with a veterinarian in advance. Vomiting can usually be prevented if your Chihuahua consumes one Hershey Kiss, for instance. He’ll probably be fine.
On the other hand, does your dog spontaneously vomit without being provoked? It’s possible that if your dog consumes something they shouldn’t, they will throw it up themselves. However, in some cases, such as when they have pancreatitis, gastritis, IBD, Addison’s disease, or liver illness, dogs will vomit because they are ill. Understand the cause of your dog’s vomiting, and avoid attempting to cause it if it has already happened.
% Hydrogen Peroxide Makes Dogs Vomit
Use hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a therapy if you need to induce vomiting in your dog. In a perfect scenario, the dog would vomit pretty soon after receiving the treatment because the solution directly irritates the dog’s stomach lining.
How Much Hydrogen Peroxide to Give Your Dog?
One teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide, up to a total of three tablespoons, is administered for every five pounds of the dog’s body weight. The maximum dose for dogs weighing more than 45 lbs. is 3 tablespoons each dose because there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon.
Your dog should vomit within two to five minutes of the initial dose, if the H2O2 does its job. It’s okay to give him another dose if he doesn’t throw up in five minutes. then halt. According to Dr. Pittman, you should be on your way to the doctor if your dog doesn’t vomit within 10 minutes. Don’t provide more than the recommended dose. A really huge amount of H2O2 could cause the dog’s stomach to burst!
In the section below, we go over how to make your dog vomit by administering hydrogen peroxide.
When Do You Need to Make Your Dog Throw Up? When is Inducing Vomiting Dangerous for Dogs?
Dr. Pittman says she is hesitant to offer exact instructions for when we must induce vomiting, but she does have some broad recommendations for certain scenarios:
When to Make Your Dog Vomit Immediately:
Induce vomiting right away if you notice your dog consuming antifreeze. Antifreeze is rapidly absorbed through the stomach wall; within 30 minutes or less of consumption, your dog’s body has absorbed enough antifreeze to be damaging to the kidneys. Immediately after that, take your dog to a vet facility.
When You Should Make Your Dog Throw Up:
Making your dog puke is advised if it consumes human medication or a significant amount of another dog’s medication. “That would be a time I’d say to induce vomiting anyway, Dr. Pittman advises.
Circumstances Which It Depends on What Your Dog Swallowed:
Let’s say your dog ingests your daughter’s teddy bear or a golf ball. Vomiting might be a good option depending on how big the thing is compared to your dog, but frequently, the object needs to be removed using an endoscope. In these situations, speak with your vet about the likelihood that, if vomiting was caused, the object would pass back up your dog’s throat.
You Probably Should Not Make Your Dog Vomit If:
Your dog ingests something with a sharp edge or drinks something acidic like bleach or home cleaning. Under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, who can balance the risks and advantages and take prompt action if the plan doesn’t work, vomiting can be induced in certain situations more safely.
Do NOT Make Your Dog Throw Up If:
Do not induce vomiting in your dog if they are drowsy, comatose, or showing symptoms of neurological damage or seizures. When you try to make the dog puke, the dog must appear clinically normal, according to Dr. Pittman. Avoid making him vomit if he isn’t acting normally since aspiration issues are quite likely to occur.
Even while it’s ideal to take action within an hour of intake, in some circumstances, vomiting can be beneficial up to four hours after ingestion. The warning is that before causing vomiting, you should always call a veterinarian or one of the veterinary phone consult toxicology services!
Who to Contact If Your Dog Eats Something Toxic
You might start by contacting a poison control hotline or your neighborhood veterinarian for advice. It’s likely that your veterinarian can provide you with enough guidance if your dog has consumed something quite commonplace (but still possibly deadly) like a box of dark chocolate, a pound of raisins, a big package of xylitol-containing gum, or other potentially toxic food items. You might be better off placing your initial call to an animal poison control hotline if your dog’s preferred poison is something more exotic, such as a combination of grandma’s beta blockers, statins, and anti-anxiety medications.
There are two veterinary-run phone consult toxicology programs that give consultations around-the-clock:
1. The animal poison hotline of the ASPCA is (888) 426-4435. Fee: $65 payable by credit card at the time of the call.
2. The pet poison hotline is (855) 764-7661. Fee: $39 due at the time of the call using a credit card.
When you contact, the consulting veterinarian will ask you for information about your dog’s diet as well as his age, weight, and other relevant details. You will then be given a case number in return. If you do this ahead of time, or even while you’re on the road (if someone else is with you and they’re driving), your veterinarian will be able to phone the service back with your case number and get to work as soon as you get at the clinic.
For two reasons, according to Dr. Pittman, many veterinary clinics themselves will err on the side of caution and contact poison control:
-To look for newer drug formulations and updated information on current toxicities; many drug interactions are not well-known.
-To record the case and create a database of knowledge for handling subsequent cases.
In a perfect environment, Dr. Pittman claims, “you’d contact the service and your neighborhood veterinarian virtually at the same time.
Administering the Hydrogen Peroxide to Your Dog
The best option is a syringe, which allows you to measure the quantity accurately and dispense it directly into the dog’s mouth.
Keep an unopened bottle of peroxide (so that it is unoxidized and fizzy-fresh if needed) and secure a syringe to the container with a rubber band so you have everything you need in an emergency if your dog has a tendency to eat strange things.
Dr. Pittman also recommends soaking a slice of bread in the prescribed amount of hydrogen peroxide before feeding it to the dog right away.
If your dog doesn’t produce, don’t get upset “Unfortunately, attempts to cause vomiting at home typically are not as successful as we would want. Dr. Pittman advises not to get discouraged if it doesn’t work and to remember that you’re not the only one.
If the induction “Whether it does or not, your next step should be to rush to the nearest veterinary emergency clinic or your dog’s regular doctor.
If you are able to induce vomiting in your dog, it is advisable to clean up the mess and take the vomitus with you to the vet’s office.”
According to Dr. Pittman, that is arguably the least admirable aspect of the entire procedure. “We need to look through that mess and try to find those four tablets if you’re concerned that your dog may have swallowed four medicines.
Save the Vomit for the Vet?
No and yes. Dr. Pittman states, “Absolutely, we’re pleased to analyze what came up. But even possessing the vomit won’t explain every mystery. We won’t detect those drugs, though, because some of them, like gel caps or fast release formulae, dissolve as soon as they enter the stomach. But according to Dr. Pittman, if pieces of the tablets are discovered, it might significantly affect the following step: “The difference in the pills still being there vs their not being, may equal three days of hospitalization.”
