By Dial A Vet Veterinary Team
When a dog has just eaten chocolate, rat bait or a packet of grapes, the urge to get it back out straight away is completely understandable. The internet is full of tips for making a dog vomit with salt, hydrogen peroxide, mustard or a finger down the throat. Please do not try any of them. Home methods often fail, can poison or injure your dog, and for some substances vomiting itself causes more damage. The right first step is a phone call to your vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline.
Key takeaways
- Never try to make your dog vomit at home unless a vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline has specifically told you to.
- Do not use salt. It can cause salt poisoning, with seizures and brain swelling.
- Do not use hydrogen peroxide. It can severely inflame and ulcerate the stomach and oesophagus.
- Vomiting is harmful for caustic products, petroleum products, sharp objects and dogs that are drowsy or seizing.
- Vets can induce vomiting quickly and safely in the clinic, usually with an injection, when it is the right choice.
What to do right now
- Move your dog away from the substance and remove any remaining packaging, plant or product.
- Note what was eaten, roughly how much, and when. Keep the packet, label or a photo.
- Call your vet, your nearest emergency animal hospital, or the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738.
- Follow their advice. If they say come in, go straight away, even if your dog looks fine.
- Do not give food, milk, oil or anything else by mouth unless advised.
Many toxins cause no signs for hours, then cause serious illness. Rat baits that stop blood clotting can take days to show signs. Our guides to chocolate poisoning, grapes and raisins, xylitol and rat bait explain why speed matters.
Why home methods are dangerous
Salt
Giving salt or salty water to cause vomiting is unreliable, and when vomiting does not happen the salt stays in the body. Dogs can develop dangerously high blood sodium, leading to vomiting, tremors, seizures, brain swelling and death. Vets still see these cases every year.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has been recommended online for years, but research has shown it damages the lining of the stomach and oesophagus, causing inflammation and ulcers. It has also been linked to inhaling foam into the lungs and, rarely, to gas bubbles entering the bloodstream. It is not recommended at home.
Fingers, mustard and other tricks
Putting fingers down a dog's throat risks bites and throat injury and rarely works. Mustard, washing soda and syrups are unreliable and can cause their own harm.
When vomiting makes things worse
Even vets will not induce vomiting in some situations:
- Caustic or corrosive products: drain cleaners, oven cleaners, dishwasher tablets and batteries burn going down and again coming up.
- Petroleum products: fuel, kerosene and some oils are easily inhaled into the lungs, causing pneumonia.
- Sharp objects: bones, skewers, glass or needles can tear the oesophagus.
- Dogs that are drowsy, seizing, collapsed or struggling to breathe: they may inhale vomit.
- Too much time has passed: after a certain period, much of the substance has left the stomach, and other treatments are more useful.
- Some breeds and health problems: flat-faced breeds and dogs with certain conditions have a higher risk of aspiration.
How vets decide and what they do
Your vet considers what was eaten, how much, when, and your dog's health. If vomiting will help, they give a medicine, usually an injection, that causes vomiting within minutes, under supervision, and can stop it afterwards if needed. They will check what comes up to confirm the substance is out.
Other treatments may include activated charcoal to bind some toxins, intravenous fluids, blood tests, antidotes for specific poisons, and monitoring. Your vet will choose the plan that fits. See our article on signs of poisoning in dogs.
Signs that are an emergency
Go to the nearest vet or emergency hospital immediately if your dog has:
- Seizures, tremors or collapse
- Difficulty breathing or very pale gums
- Repeated vomiting or vomiting blood
- Severe drooling, pawing at the mouth or burns in the mouth
- Unusual bleeding, bruising or blood in urine or stools
- Wobbly walking, extreme drowsiness or agitation
Prevention
- Keep chocolate, grapes, sugar-free gum and medicines in closed cupboards.
- Store cleaning products and garden chemicals up high or locked away.
- Use bait stations designed to keep pets out, or avoid baits entirely.
- Check your yard after storms for fallen mushrooms or toxic plants.
- Save the Animal Poisons Helpline number, 1300 869 738, in your phone.
FAQ
My dog vomited on its own after eating something. Is it safe now?
Not necessarily. Some toxin may remain. Call your vet or the Animal Poisons Helpline for advice.
How quickly do I need to get to the vet?
As soon as possible. Inducing vomiting works best when done early, so call straight away.
Can I give milk or oil to soften the poison?
No. These do not neutralise toxins and can make some poisonings worse.
What if I cannot reach my vet?
Call the Animal Poisons Helpline or go directly to your nearest emergency animal hospital.
Talk with a vet
If your dog has eaten something and you are not sure whether it is dangerous, a Dial A Vet veterinarian can help you assess the situation quickly. Contact Dial A Vet. If your dog is showing signs of poisoning, or the product is known to be toxic, go straight to an emergency vet.
References
- Animal Poisons Helpline (Australia): Emergency advice for pet owners, 1300 869 738
- Niedzwecki AH et al. Effects of oral 3% hydrogen peroxide used as an emetic on the gastroduodenal mucosa of healthy dogs. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 2017
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Emergency treatment of poisoning and decontamination
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Salt toxicity in pets
Disclaimer: Educational only. This page does not replace an examination or advice from your own veterinarian. If you are worried about your pet right now, contact your local vet or nearest emergency animal hospital.
