A dog’s world is filled with potential poisons: pest poisons, antifreeze, human medications, overdoses of pet medications, garbage, chocolate, household cleaners and chemicals, even poisonous plants in your home or garden. Treatment for poisoning is much more effective if your vet knows the kind of poison your dog ingested. Always bring the bottle, box, or container of any poison your dog has ingested with you to the vet, if possible.
Getting poison out of your dog’s system as soon as possible is crucial, but in the case of some poisons, vomiting can cause even more harm. If you know your dog has ingested a particular poison and your vet or poison control center advises vomiting, induce vomiting by giving your dog a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Give one teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight every 15 to 20 minutes, no more than three times, until the dog vomits.
Always induce vomiting if you know your dog has swallowed an overdose of his medication or has gobbled human medication like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), ibuprofen (such as Advil), diet pills, sleeping pills, heart pills, blood pressure pills, antihistamines, vitamins, or any other medication not specifically prescribed for your dog.
After your dog vomits, give him activated charcoal to bind remaining poison and keep it from damaging your dog. Keep 5-gram tablets of compressed activated charcoal in your emergency first aid kit. Administer one tablet per 10 pounds of body weight. Tablets are the easiest form of activated charcoal to administer to your dog. Alternatively, give your dog 1/4 cup egg white mixed with 1/4 cup milk per 10 pounds of body weight, administered with a plastic syringe into your dog’s cheek.
If your dog has ingested an acid, alkali, cleaning solution, household chemical or petroleum product, do not induce vomiting! Seek medical treatment immediately. Rinse out your dog’s mouth and give him water or milk to dilute the poison.
Other signs you should not induce vomiting are:
- If your dog is showing neurological symptoms like seizures, convulsions, or an unsteady gait.
- If your dog has ingested a product that says "Do not induce vomiting" on the label.
- If your dog is unconscious or having trouble breathing.
- If your dog has swallowed a sharp object such as a bone fragment.
- If your dog has already vomited.
Many parents have syrup of ipecac in the medicine cabinet to induce vomiting in children who have ingested poison, and this remedy was once commonly prescribed for dogs, too. However, hydrogen peroxide is more effective and safer for dogs than syrup of ipecac, which should be avoided unless your vet specifically advises it.
If your dog ingests a poison intended for pests, either in the house or in the yard, immediately induce vomiting except as indicated above.
Antifreeze poisoning is common in dogs because antifreeze often leaks from car radiators and it tastes sweet. Pet owners may not be aware they have a puddle of antifreeze in their garage until the dog starts sniffing with interest. Three ounces of antifreeze can kill a 40-pound dog. Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning occur 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion and include vomiting, "drunken" behavior, depressed behavior, and coma. Dogs often die from antifreeze poisoning, and those that seem to recover may develop kidney failure within a few days.
Induce vomiting immediately if your dog has ingested even a small amount of antifreeze, then take your dog to the vet without delay. Activated charcoal can help to keep your dog’s system from absorbing the poison.
Excerpted from The Simple Guide to a Healthy Dog by Eve Adamson, published by TFH Publications, used with permission.
