Mary Allen
It is inevitable that our four-legged vacuum cleaners occasionally ingest things that they should not have eaten.
From poison bait to a box of chocolates, in some situations knowing how to make your dog vomit can save your dog’s life.
In this article, you’ll learn when it makes sense to make your dog throw up. We will also introduce you to a natural emetic for dogs and explain how hydrogen peroxide can help your dog in an emergency.
In a nutshell: Dog wants to vomit, but can’t?
If your dog has ingested a toxic substance, it is not uncommon for a race against time to begin. In some cases, forcing him to vomit can save his life. To find out which substances and situations this applies to, your first contact should always be the veterinarian or poison control center! If your dog wants to vomit but can’t, give him a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
How do you make a dog throw up? 3 methods
There are different methods you can use to get your dog to vomit.
We would like to introduce you to two methods below that will work and one that you should please keep your hands off!
Hydrogen peroxide
To make your dog vomit with hydrogen peroxide, you will need a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. You can get these at the pharmacy.
Tip:
Every responsible dog owner should equip their medicine chest with hydrogen peroxide!
After you’ve checked with your veterinarian or poison control center to determine if vomiting is appropriate in your situation, place the hydrogen peroxide solution as far back on your dog’s tongue as possible. The following applies:
- 5 ml hydrogen peroxide per 5 kg body weight, which corresponds to about one teaspoon
- A dropper or balloon syringe makes administration easier
- Administer hydrogen peroxide undiluted and without food
- After that, walk your dog for a few steps, which can encourage vomiting
- If your dog doesn’t want to walk, massage his stomach to mix the stomach contents with the hydrogen peroxide
- If your dog has not vomited after 10 minutes, repeat the dose again, but no more than twice!
Good to know:
Even if you managed to get your dog to vomit at home, you should take him to a veterinarian afterwards. He may need further help in order to be able to recover quickly and well and not suffer any permanent damage.
Natural emetics for dogs
Besides hydrogen peroxide as an emetic for dogs, there are also natural substances that you can use. Here are two:
Mustard mix as a home remedy
Mixing mustard with water can also make your dog puke. Put the mixture in his mouth and make sure he really swallows it. For example, you can use a syringe without a needle or balloon syringe.
PLEASE DO NOT USE SALT!
Some dog owners find it a good idea to use saline solution to make their dog vomit. This can work in practice, but in the worst case it can lead to salt poisoning! So we strongly advise against it.
If you don’t have anything else on hand and your vet gives you the OK for it, the controversial saline solution can also save your dog’s life in an emergency. Here you have to be careful and act exactly as instructed by your veterinarian.
When & Why Make the Dog Vomit?
The question of when is not so easy to answer, because it depends largely on what your dog has ingested.
In an emergency situation like this, the first thing you must do to find out if you are helping your dog is to induce vomiting!!!
About an hour after the poison has been ingested, all of it enters the digestive tract and can no longer be flushed out of the body by vomiting. Therefore, poisoning is always a race against time.
The question “Why should I make my dog vomit in certain situations?” is actually already answered. Because it can save his life!
Danger!
Whenever your dog has ingested a dangerous substance, your first step is always to contact the vet or poison control center! Not with all substances it makes sense to make the dog throw up.
Which substances does this apply to?
After ingesting these and other toxic substances, quickly induced vomiting can save your dog’s life at home!
- chocolate
- grapes or raisins
- antifreeze
- Paracetamol, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), other painkillers
- Poisonous plants such as daffodils or azaleas
- Large amounts of onions or garlic
- Xylitol (Be careful with pastries! Never leave biscuits and cakes made with birch sugar, which
is highly toxic to dogs, unattended in a room with your dog!)
Danger!
If your dog has eaten sharp or sharp objects, or chemical/corrosive substances such as bleach, drain cleaner, fertilizer, motor oil, nail polish, insecticides, crude oil, gasoline, or chlorine, induced vomiting can be serious. These substances should not actually pass through the esophagus once, and certainly not a second time!
When should I take my dog to the vet?
The first step when your dog has ingested a toxic substance is always to contact the veterinarian, veterinary clinic or poison control center. ALWAYS, because it does NOT ALWAYS make sense to make your dog vomit.
If your dog exhibits one or more of the following symptoms after ingesting a toxin, you should take him to the vet immediately:
- Strong salivation
- spasms and tremors
- Apathy or intense excitement
- gagging and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- restlessness
- circulatory problems
- unconsciousness
- weakness
- Blood in the vomit, urine, or feces
- Stomach cramps
- difficulty breathing
- shortness of breath
- Increased heart rate
- Pale or bluish mucous membranes
Isn’t it absolutely horrifying when you can’t reach anyone who can help you in an emergency?
What else can you do for your dog
After you have made your dog vomit on your vet’s advice, they will most likely want to check your dog in the office afterwards. He should too!
Nevertheless, you can support your dog at home so that he gets fit again quickly. These home remedies can help:
- Activated charcoal tablets, bind the toxins in the body and help with elimination (be sure to discuss the dose with your vet!);
- Always provide him with enough water and give him rest so that he can recover;
- For the next few days, feed your dog stomach-friendly bland foods such as boiled chicken, rice, oatmeal, cottage cheese, and boiled and mashed carrots.
Another advice:
Bag your dog’s vomit and take it with you to the vet. He can examine what substance it is and treat your dog more specifically!
Conclusion
If your dog has ingested a toxic substance, knowing how to make him vomit could potentially save his life!
Nevertheless, it is not always useful, because substances such as bleach or drain cleaners should definitely not be passed through the esophagus a second time!
Therefore, your very first step should always be to contact your veterinarian. He can tell you whether forced vomiting makes sense or not.
Be sure to stock your medicine chest with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. This is the best and most effective way to make your dog throw up.