can my dog eat after hydrogen peroxide
I Gave My Dog Hydrogen Peroxide And He Didnt Vomit: What Does It Mean?
No pet parent wants to ever find themselves inducing vomiting in their pet. Yet, sometimes doing that can mean life and death for your pet.
A good example is walking on your dog chomping on the tomato plant in the garden or munching away on your bars of chocolates.
The first order of business would be to induce vomiting and get the dog to expel whatever is in her system.
One of the common substances to induce vomiting is hydrogen peroxide. It is readily available and works effectively in most instances.
After reaching out and giving your doggie the correct dosage, you wait for the magic to happen.
A few minutes then a few hours later and the pet has not thrown up yet.
What is going on?
Read on for the answer and more information on the topic.
Whats The Deal with Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is not new to many homes. Most people have it in their medicine cabinet.
It is a potent antiseptic used to dress minor cuts, burns, and scrapes to keep infections at bay.
For dogs, the antiseptic can be orally administered to get a dog to vomit when a dog owner cannot transport their pet to the vet in good time.
It works by irritating the canines digestive tract enough to throw the contents of the stomach.
When the antiseptic reaches the dogs stomach area, it will react with the stomach tissue to create oxygen bubbles. These, in turn, stretch out the tummy and trigger vomiting.
The right concentration used is 3% hydrogen peroxide nothing more than that.
If AKC recommendations are anything to go by, the right dosage is one teaspoon for ten pounds of weight. For instance, if your dog is 20lbs, the right dosage would be 2 teaspoons of the emetic.
Do not go over three teaspoons even if your doggie is 45 lb or more.
To administer hydrogen peroxide, squirt it at the back of Fidos mouth using a turkey baster or a syringe.
Wait for 15 minutes. Your dog should be able to expel the harmful substances from her gut.
How Long Will My Dog Throw Up After Hydrogen Peroxide?
So, how long will hydrogen peroxide make a dog throw up?
Well, according to PetMD, hydrogen peroxide works fast (within 10-15 minutes) for 50% of whatever is in the dogs tummy.
As soon as the dog starts vomiting, she can go on doing that for a solid 45 minutes, so you want to make sure shes in a place she can throw up for that long.
If nothing happens within the first 15 minutes, give another dose and wait some more.
If nothing happens still, its definitely time to call the vet or the Pet Poison Helpline.
What Happens When A Dog Doesnt Vomit?
Hydrogen peroxide works great in some instances but sadly, it doesnt offer the intended results sometimes.
Here are some of the reasons a dog doesnt vomit after ingesting hydrogen peroxide.
1. Wrong Dosage
First things first, when your dog fails to vomit despite giving hydrogen peroxide, seek to find out if the dosage is right.
In a bid to keep their pets safe, some dog owners give too small amounts that dont cause enough irritation to induce vomiting.
So, how much hydrogen peroxide should be used to induce vomiting in dogs?
Of course, too much of it is utterly toxic but too little will not get you anywhere either.
Check to confirm whether you have offered the right dosage which is 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight.
For dogs of over 45 lb, maintain a constant dose of 3 teaspoons.
2. No Food In The Gut
A hungry pup has a hard time throwing up any content in his tummy. The reason is simple: food creates a safe passage for the object swallowed.
It removes any friction and gives the object a smooth journey back up.
In addition, when hydrogen peroxide reacts with the food, it creates more bubbles that make the expelling process easier and hassle-free.
Without any food in the tummy, vomiting will be a painful process for your doggie. There are fewer bubbles to push the food.
Increased friction doesnt help things either. If the dog is trying to expel something like metal, it may be too hard and painful.
3. Timing
The time to induce vomiting also plays a key role in the success (or lack thereof) when using hydrogen peroxide.
The longer you wait, the further the object travels through the digestive tracts and ultimately the harder it gets to expel it orally.
Essentially, you want to induce vomiting in less than two hours after ingestion of the harmful object.
When the object is in the stomach, the peroxide can irritate the lining easier and cause vomiting.
4. Object Swallowed
No matter how hard you work to induce vomiting, some objects will not budge.
Take for instance a liquid. If your pup drinks chocolate tea, her body will quickly absorb it.
Big objects can get stuck in the throat or the intestines making it hard to throw up.
If the dog shows signs of distress and incredible pain, dont force her to vomit.
Instead, rush her to the vet. Her life may very well depend on it.
5. Your Dog Needs Another Emetic
This is not the best news for you but sometimes hydrogen peroxide is just too ineffective for your doggie.
In such a case, the dog may require a more potent emetic.
It happens to the best of dogs so dont panic. Simply rush to the vet and get help.
What Happens If You Give A Dog Too Much Hydrogen Peroxide?
Can hydrogen peroxide kill a dog?
Well, hydrogen peroxide may be a powerful emetic but it has its downsides.
Too much of it can do a number on your dogs system. Mild effects include poor appetite and continued vomiting. Antacids should be able to take care of this.
Although rare, too much hydrogen peroxide can also cause severe gastritis, stomach ulcers, inflammation of the stomach, ulceration, and bleeding.
It doesnt stop there. If your dog ingests copious amounts of hydrogen peroxide, she risks gas emboli or simply an air clot in her blood vessels.
As said earlier, the emetic will react with stomach tissue to release oxygen bubbles. The excess gas can be absorbed by the stomach tissue causing embolism which can be fatal.
Not to scare you but if your dog ingests too much hydrogen peroxide, rush her to the emergency room. If you wait too long, her tummy may very well rupture causing death.
How Long After Hydrogen Peroxide Can I Feed My Dog?
The timing depends on whether your dog has vomited or not after the hydrogen peroxide administration.
If your dog doesnt vomit, several factors could be at play, as highlighted above.
In such cases, its crucial to promptly seek professional help from your vet.
On the other hand, if your dog has vomited, begin by offering him a small amount of water since rehydration is essential after vomiting.
Afterward, monitor his behavior for a few hoursup to 6 hoursbefore reintroducing food.
If there are no abnormal reactions during this time, you can gradually reintroduce bland food.
Start with small portions and increase the quantity with each meal until your dog returns to his regular diet.
Remember, its essential to consult with your vet to ensure your dogs safety and to receive guidance on resuming his normal feeding routine after inducing vomiting with hydrogen peroxide.
Final Thoughts
In their passion for exploring their environments, dogs sometimes ingest harmful substances. These range from metals to stones and toxic plants.
Hydrogen peroxide can come in handy to induce vomiting in such a case.
However, if your dog doesnt vomit after giving two doses, always call the vet.
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How to Make a Dog Throw Up
Weve all been there. Our dogs eat something that they are not supposed to a human medication, your other dogs medication, or a toxic food such as chocolate or raisins and our first thought is, how do I make my dog throw up? Vomiting can be a quick way to remove a potentially harmful substance like chocolate from your dogs body. But its important to know how to make a dog throw up safely, and when you shouldnt make a dog throw up. If you suspect your dog has been poisoned, call your veterinarian immediately. Here is what you need to know before you induce your dog to vomit.
When to Make a Dog Throw Up (and When Not To)
If a dog eats something harmful that they shouldnt have, its possible they may vomit it up on their own. When that doesnt happen, making your dog throw up something theyve eaten might seem like a good idea. But inducing vomiting is something you should only attempt to do under the guidance of a veterinarian. There are very good reasons for this. If your regular vet isnt open, contact a local emergency vet or pet poison control helpline for guidance before you attempt to induce vomiting.
Some things that dogs might swallowsuch as batteries, caustic materials, or sharp objectscan cause dangerous and even lethal harm if you induce vomiting and they are regurgitated. Swallowed objects can cause blockages or perforations, and the act of inducing vomiting itself comes with risks. One of these risks is aspiration pneumonia, which is caused by inhaling toxic substancesusually stomach contentsinto the lungs.
It can be dangerous to induce vomiting in brachycephalic breeds, such as Pugs or Pekingese, because of concerns of causing aspiration pneumonia, so be sure to check with a veterinarian first. Do not induce vomiting if your dog is lethargic or comatose, or if they are having seizures. If your dog ingested something more than two to six hours ago, it may be too late to get them to vomit it up, depending on what they ate or drank.
The safest thing to do in these cases is to take your dog into the vets office immediately. However, if you cant get there, or your vets office is closed, you may have to induce vomiting at home. Talk with your veterinarian by phone, contact or visit the emergency veterinarian, or try a veterinary virtual visit to get guidance on how to proceed. You can call a pet poison control helpline to get advice from the experts before you proceed.
When you call any of these experts for help, be prepared to provide important information to the best of your ability: what your dog ate, how much they ate and when, your dogs weight, and any existing health problems or medications your dog has.
Hydrogen Peroxide to Induce Dog Vomiting
Hydrogen peroxide 3-percent solution is the recommended method for making a dog throw up. Fortunately, its also a common thing to find in our home medicine cabinet. Its a good idea to include a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in your travel dog first aid kit in case of an emergency away from home.
Hydrogen peroxide is a topical antiseptic that can be used as an emetic to make dogs vomit when owners cant get them to a veterinary hospital quickly. Hydrogen peroxide is an irritant to a dogs intestinal tract and typically works within 10-15 minutes, causing your dog to throw up about 50 percent of the contents of their stomach. The vomiting can last for up to 45 minutes, so make sure you give your dog hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting in a place where he will feel as comfortable as possible throwing up. Avoid their normal sleeping, crate, or feeding areas; consider a bathroom or laundry area where you can provide them with a quiet, out-of-the-way place that can also be easily cleaned.
Hydrogen peroxide is generally considered safe to induce vomiting in dogs when administered by a veterinarian. At home, however, you dont have the luxury of veterinary expertise. Dont make your dog throw up if they exhibit any of the following symptoms or conditions:
- Already vomiting
- Severely lethargic
- Comatose
- Decreased swallowing ability
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures or hyperactive activity
- Recent abdominal surgery or megaesophagus (a generalized enlargement of the esophagus)
- Consumed corrosive agents, sharp objects, or drugs
How to Make a Dog Throw Up
First, always call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian. Even if you plan on making your dog throw up at home, a veterinarian is a valuable resource and will be able to provide you with the most accurate information about your dogs condition.
- If your dog hasnt eaten within the last two hours, giving them a small meal can make it more likely that they will vomit.
- Make sure you have a 3-percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide are toxic and can cause serious damage.
- Administer the proper amount of hydrogen peroxide: the suggested dosage is one teaspoon (approximately 5cc or 5ml if youre using an oral syringe) per five pounds of the dogs body weight by mouth, with a maximum dose of 3 tablespoons (approximately 15cc or 15ml in an oral syringe) for dogs who weigh more than 45 pounds. But ask your veterinarian about the best dosage for your dog and only induce vomiting if your dog ate the substance within 2 hours.
- Administer the dosage with a oral syringe or turkey baster and squirt it from the side by pulling back your dogs lips and squirting between their back teeth. You can also squirt from the front into the back of your dogs tongue or mouth. Be careful not to let your dog inhale the substance, as this can lead to aspiration. If your dog doesnt vomit within 15 minutes, you can give them a second dose.
- Stay with your dog while they vomits. Collect the vomit for your vet to analyze, and dont let your dog eat anything they vomit up.
- Keep an eye out for complications and adverse reactions, such as vomiting for more than 45 minutes, diarrhea, lethargy, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV or bloat), or gastriculcers.
- Follow up with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
- You may consider soothing your dogs throat with a pet-safe liquid respiratory supplement after inducing vomiting, but ask your vet before administering anything.
Timing is critical, and the safest step is to take your dog to the veterinary office or emergency veterinary clinic to have vomiting induced. In some cases, other supportive treatment may also be needed, such as IV fluids. And if you havent been successful in making your dog vomit, your vet may give them a stronger medication to get rid of the substance that they swallowed, as well as the hydrogen peroxide.
