How to Make a Dog Vomit

[mnp13]

FIRST: IF IN DOUBT, CALL YOUR VET. There are some poisons / items that are best left in the dog. Inducing vomiting could cause further damage in some cases. Most vets will tell you over the phone to induce vomiting or not.

In the case of ibuprophen it always a 'make them vomit', as the longer the pills sit in the stomach the higher the risk for gastric ulcers and/or renal damage.

If you just watched your dog gulp down a pair of underware or a rat (and you know who you are!) and you'd like them to return them to you, follow the simple steps outlined below!

1. Feed the dog a nice big bowl of food so it has some extra 'stuff' to throw up. In the case of pills this makes it more probable that that all of the pills will come up. In the case of other nasty stuff, it gives the dog more volume to help things come up easier (important when you need to get bones or plastic to come up)

2. Use a medicine dropper - sold at any pharmacy for giving kids medicine - to give the dog 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Three teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. Hold the dog's mouth open and stick the dropper in their throat, then hold the dog's mouth shut to force them to swallow.

3. Back up and wait.

You MUST have 'fresh' hydrogen peroxide for this. To test your HP, put a little in your mouth, it should fizz immediately. If not go get a new bottle. The HP will fizz when it hits the dog's stomach, your dog may foam at the mouth for a bit and vomit a little. DO NOT bring your dog in after the first 'spit up'. Until they have really heaved a few times they are not done. It can take about 15 minutes. If they have not vomited in that time, give another tablespoon of HP.

Don't let the dog eat or drink for a few hours or they may vomit it up again. I let Ruby drink and vomit a few times to clear the bad taste out, so we just stayed in the yard for an hour or so.

Be prepared for lots of dirty looks from your dog.

Michelle

[Boo439]

Good post! I had to do the same with Toda when he ate some Irish Spring and had no clue what to do at the time. I had to look it up on the internet since my vet was closed.

[concreterose]

Good post Michelle...great to know in case of these kinds of emergencies

[moto1320]

Here is an addition from gf....

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Yes, excellent post, especially with these dogs who will eat anything.

Hydrogen Peroxide works very well, but if you are in an emergency situation, salt will make them vomit, too. About a teaspoon of salt in the back of the throat will make them puke, so that's good to know if you don't have the hydrogen peroxide.

Another thing to keep in mind if your dog has eaten something sharp and it's too late to have them vomit or too risky. Then you want to help it pass through with as little damage as possible. Feed your dog some cotton balls soaked in milk or broth. Those will wrap around the sharp object and help protect the intestine. Some mineral oil or olive oil will help lubricate things, too.

[fllady]

"Before inducing vomiting ALWAYS call the poison control center or your vet" Hydrogen peroxide is good for this but there are many substances where this should not be used to induce vomiting.

[GTiSTiLE]

probably saved Lucy's life tonight... she managed to eat 6+ full sized snickers bars while we werent watching... i can personally guarantee EVERY last one of em came back up... she's pissed, but still kickin

[hwillm1977]

we used this on Marley when I came home to find him snacking on a bottle of ibuprofen that was left on TOP of an entertainment center, I have no idea how he got it unless the cat tried to kill him... he got a prescription for pepcid AC for a couple weeks to ease any problems the pills would've caused, but the vet said he would've died had we waited until we got to the vet to induce vomiting.

Heather

[egostang]

Wow, very good info.

And the peroxide is not harmful on its own?

[ZiggysMom]

Nope! The body's enzymes break hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen. It's not exactly good for you--- but then, since they puke up the hydrogen peroxide along with the rest of the goods, then it doesn't stay in the dog long either.

It's a lot safer than something like syrup of Ipecac. The syrup is the classic used for people, but the problem is, it's toxic itself if it isn't vomited back up. It sometimes does fail to induce vomiting, and then you have two nasties in the dog instead of one!

[leopardjunkie]

If you have any of those test tube type shot glasses...they hold 3 tsp's perfectly and work great for administering the peroxide!! had to do it again today

[L Boogie]

I tried it today on Lexus, and it definitely worked. I thought she had eaten one of my socks, since it was nowhere to be found. But only grass and food came up...

How long should I wait to feed her again?

[dangermouth]

Wow, very good info.

And the peroxide is not harmful on its own?

I used it on myself a couple of times when a medication that my doctor gave me made me really sick. We still don't know why it made my stomach so sick, but the only relief I could get was from using hydrogen peroxide to make myself vomit.

I'm still alive, so it seems fairly safe. It isn't pleasant, though. It really really empties out the stomach. Just make sure it's the same strength used for oral irrigation/gargling (I think it's usually 3 or 5%) - stronger preparations can cause irritation or worse. I work in a lab and I've caused some minor skin damage to myself from time to time with 30% hydrogen peroxide.

[artemiss]

yup, this stuff works!
We had to use it last night when the Boy and I each gave the muttling her meds..while I doubt benadryl is toxic in that dose, I really didn't want to take any chances..(she's already pushing the 2 mg per pound in one dose..)

It took a few minutes, but everything came up that needed to.
Needless to say, we have decided that I am sole piller unless otherwise specified.

[dresie]

we used this on Marley when I came home to find him snacking on a bottle of ibuprofen that was left on TOP of an entertainment center, I have no idea how he got it unless the cat tried to kill him... he got a prescription for pepcid AC for a couple weeks to ease any problems the pills would've caused, but the vet said he would've died had we waited until we got to the vet to induce vomiting.

Heather

That actually happened to me with my dog ashely scared the crap outta me at 3 in the am.

[bigmacbubba]

well this is kinda on topic and kinda not. i just got home from work today and found that bubba had squirted in one corner of his metal kennel. so i clean it up and cleaned the carpet up real good and threw his blanket in the washer and took a shower when i got out i gave him some fresh water and like has always done he drinks probably half the bowl of water. well today was different. i was sitting here on the computer and he was lickin at my leg and i started talking to him and petting him and all of a sudden he hurled all over the carpet and my leg. it smelled of feces and i think he licked all of what he pooped in his kennel. about 5 minutes after he threw up the first time he did it again on my couch. needless to say hes outside for a little bit. i got really pissed off at him then i calmed down and told my self that its not his fault and i told him its ok and put him outside. could eating some of his own feces make him sick enough to take him to the vet?? he seems ok right now running around and stuff but im just a little concerned. thanks.