Get a Dog to Vomit

You come back home and notice your dog isn’t looking very well. After looking around your house, you discover that your dog has gotten into a potentially harmful substance—one that could be life threatening if it stays in your dog’s system. Although getting a dog to vomit is never pleasant, it can be an important first step in ridding a dog’s body of a toxin. To get your dog to vomit, learn how to administer hydrogen peroxide, get veterinary care, and follow general guidelines on inducing vomiting.

Steps

Administering Hydrogen Peroxide

  1. Determine if your dog needs to vomit. Before inducing vomit, make sure it is the right thing to do. If your dog swallowed any of the following substances, you should induce vomiting at home:
    • Antifreeze, if your dog swallowed it in the past two hours[1]
    • Chocolate[2]
    • Grapes or raisins[3]
    • Tylenol or Aspirin[4]
    • Plants, such as azaleas and daffodils[5]
  2. Move your dog to a different area. If your dog is laying on its bed or on the carpet, you’ll want to move your dog somewhere else before inducing vomiting. For example, take your dog outside or move your dog to an area where cleaning up vomit will be easy, like a room with linoleum flooring.[2]
    • If your dog is weak, it may not be able to walk easily on its own. You may need to carry your dog or at least help it walk to where you want it to go.
  3. Feed your dog a small meal. At first, it may seem strange to feed your dog to get it to vomit. However, feeding your dog a little food can actually increase the chances of vomiting. A small portion of canned food or a slice of plain bread are good food choices.[6]
    • Canned food will be easy for your dog to eat and is tastier than dry food.
    • Your dog may not want to eat on its own. If this happens, try putting the food directly in your dog’s mouth to get it to eat.
    • Do not spend a lot of time trying to get your dog to eat.
  4. Call your vet or animal poison control center. This is very important! Do not try to get your dog to vomit before calling your vet or animal poison control center.[7] When you call, provide as much information as possible so they can instruct you on what to do (and what not to do) next. Important information includes:
    • What you think your dog ingested (toxic plant, house cleaning product, chocolate)
    • How long you think it’s been since your dog ingested the toxin
    • Your dog’s symptoms
    • Your dog’s size
  5. Determine how much 3% hydrogen peroxide your dog will need. If your vet or poison control center says it’s okay to induce vomiting, give your dog 3% hydrogen peroxide, which is available at your local pharmacy. It is the preferred vomit-inducing product for dogs.[2] Give your dog one teaspoon hydrogen peroxide per 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of body weight.[2]
    • Use a measuring spoon to measure the right amount of hydrogen peroxide.
  6. Administer the hydrogen peroxide. Draw up the hydrogen peroxide into an ear or eye dropper.[8] Drop the measured amount of hydrogen peroxide as far back on your dog’s tongue as you can.[9]
    • Do not mix hydrogen peroxide into your dog’s food or water before drawing it up in the dropper.[6]
  7. Walk your dog. Walking can stimulate vomiting by letting your dog’s stomach contents mix with the hydrogen peroxide.[1] Walk your dog for a few minutes. If your dog isn’t up to walking, gently shake or move its belly.[10]
  8. Wait for your dog to vomit. After being given hydrogen peroxide, dogs usually vomit within a few minutes. If your dog does not vomit after 10 minutes, give it another dose of hydrogen peroxide.[6]
    • Some sources say not to give a dog more than two doses of hydrogen peroxide.[10] Others say up to three doses is acceptable.[1] Before giving a third dose, call your vet.

Receiving Veterinary Care

  1. Take your dog to your vet. Your dog will need to be treated by your vet, even if you got your dog to vomit. Vomiting is just a quick fix and will not get rid of all the toxin in your dog’s stomach.[2] Veterinary care is essential if your dog didn't vomit—this means your dog will need something stronger than hydrogen peroxide to vomit.[10]
    • Do not get delay in getting your dog to your vet.
    • If your dog vomited, take a picture of it to show to your vet.
  2. Tell your vet what happened. Even if you already spoke to your vet before giving your dog hydrogen peroxide, it will be helpful to repeat what happened while your vet examines your dog. You should also tell your vet how much hydrogen peroxide you gave your dog and how many times you gave the hydrogen peroxide.
    • If your dog vomited, describe what the vomit looked like, or show the picture of the vomit.
  3. Allow your vet to treat your dog. Your vet has access to medications that can induce vomiting, as well as substances that can prevent toxin absorption. For example, your vet can give your dog activated charcoal, which will bind to the toxin in the digestive system and prevent absorption.[2]
    • Apomorphine is an opioid medication that can induce vomiting. It usually works within five to ten minutes.[9]
    • A drug called xylazine can also induce vomiting in dogs.[6]
    • Your vet will determine the best way to treat your dog’s ingestion of a toxic substance.

Learning Other Tips for Inducing Vomiting

  1. Research which substances should not be vomited up. Some substances, after being ingested, can cause a lot of damage if vomited back up. If you know your dog swallowed one of the following substances, do not induce vomiting:[1]
    • Bleach
    • Drain cleaner
    • Petroleum-containing substance, such as gasoline
  2. Look for signs of serious poisoning. Getting a dog to vomit can be dangerous if the dog is extremely sick or unresponsive. If your dog is showing signs of severe poisoning, do not induce vomiting. Take your dog to your vet right away. Look for the following signs indicating severe poisoning:[2]
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Looking depressed
    • Having seizures
    • Slow heart rate
    • Unconscious
  3. Do not use ipecac or salt to induce vomiting. Syrup of ipecac used to be recommended for inducing vomiting in dogs. However, it can linger in the stomach and cause a lot of stomach irritation if a dog doesn’t vomit. Salt is also no longer recommended because it can become toxic if a dog is given too much of it.[9]
  4. Induce vomiting promptly. If possible, get your dog to vomit within about two hours after it has ingested something toxic.[6] After two hours, the toxin will have moved into the intestines, making induction of vomiting no longer effective.[1]

Tips

  • Reading a toxic substance’s label is a good way to know whether you should get your dog to vomit.[2]

Warnings

  • Sharp objects can damage the lining of the stomach or esophagus. If you know your dog swallowed a sharp object, do not get your dog to vomit.[2]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://www.whistlervetservices.ca/uncategorized/how-to-induce-vomiting-with-hydrogen-peroxide/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 http://www.sunrisepetclinicaz.com/vomiting.html
  3. ↑ https://www.petsbest.com/blog/pet-poisons-grapes-and-raisins/
  4. ↑ http://www.canismajor.com/dog/intestin.html
  5. ↑ http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-plants-poisonous-to-pets/
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 http://www.vspn.org/Library/misc/VSPN_M01158.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.lakesidevets.com/home-treatments.pml
  8. ↑ https://www.vetinfo.com/emergency-procedures-to-induce-vomiting-in-dogs.html
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pharmacology/systemic-pharmacotherapeutics-of-the-digestive-system/drugs-to-control-or-stimulate-vomiting-monogastric
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Can-You-Give-a-Dog-Too-Much-Hydrogen-Peroxide
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