How To Make A Dog Throw Up

Can dogs eat meat

Have you ever been in a situation where your dog ate something they should not have and your first thought is, “how do I make my dog throw up?” Vomiting may be the answer to your problem. Not only will it help remove a harmful substance like chocolate from your dog’s body, but it can also help him feel better because he’ll have less congestion. It’s crucial that if you do induce your dog to vomit you do it safely. 

Inducing vomiting in a dog can be helpful in some situations, like if your best furry friend ate a toxin. If your veterinarian approves at-home treatment, then you can use an inducement technique from home — but you should be aware that inducing vomiting is serious business. Your pet’s body doesn’t always handle the process well, so you should always check with your vet first and never attempt it before knowing safety tips. Let’s discuss some important information, so you can safely make your dog throw up without hurting them or doing damage to their health.

How to make a dog throw up

When to (or Not to) Make a Dog Throw Up

Although it may seem like a good idea to induce vomiting in your dog if he’s consumed something harmful, in fact it can be dangerous to do so without first consulting your veterinarian. Many common substances, such as batteries or other caustic materials or sharp objects, can cause dangerous and even lethal harm if regurgitated, and the act of inducing vomiting itself comes with risks; for example, aspiration pneumonia is caused by inhaling toxic substances, usually gastric contents, into the lungs. Certain breeds of dogs such as pugs can be dangerous to induce vomiting. This is due to it causing pneumonia. One thing to note is you most certainly don’t want to induce vomiting in your dog if they are lethargic or having seizures. Depending on what may have been ingested if they have eaten 2-6 hours ago it may be too late to try and induce vomiting. 

Whether or not your vet will recommend inducing vomiting also depends on what your dog ate. If he consumed some kind of foreign object, you should cautiously induce regurgitation. This is because if the object is sharp or wiry, it could cause severe harm to the esophagus or stomach. And similarly, if the object is large and could cause an obstruction, inducing vomiting can be very dangerous. If you think your dog has ingested a substance harmful to stomach health, trusted veterinarians recommend inducing vomiting. But there are some chemicals that increase risk of damage to the esophagus and mouth if vomited, so it is important to consult a veterinarian for advice rather than forcing vomit at home. 

The safest thing is to always bring your dog to their veterinarian if they have swallowed something poisonous or unsafe. Calling your veterinarian and detailing everything that happened will help them give you the best course of action. However, we have listed the most popular way below on how to make your dog throw up. 

Hydrogen peroxide method 

The most common method of getting your dog to throw up is a hydrogen peroxide solution. Hydrogen peroxide 3% is typically used to treat minor scrapes and cuts but it works as an irritant in your dog’s stomach. Of course you will want to consult your veterinarian before trying that method. 

The proper amount of hydrogen peroxide varies on the weight of your dog. You will want to use 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide for every 5 pounds of your dog’s body weight. However you should never exceed 3 tablespoons (9 teaspoons) of hydrogen peroxide at one time. When feeding your pup the hydrogen peroxide solution it will be easiest to administer it with a turkey baster or syringe. After about 15 minutes your dog should begin to throw up. If they haven’t started to throw up you may want to contact your veterinarian and see if administering a second dose is safe for your dog. Once they have vomited you will want to watch them closely after to see if there are any reactions. These reactions may include but are not limited to diarrhea or lethargy. 

Why does my dog throw up after drinking water?

Dogs are prone to an array of illnesses. When they throw up, owners panic if they think it is a symptom of a serious health problem. However, most of the time this reaction is uncalled for as dogs throw up after drinking water quite commonly and the causes can be easily distinguished. Dogs may throw up after drinking water because of a lot of different reasons. To be able to tell your four-legged companion what’s going on and what you can do to help with the issue, it’s important to be able to distinguish between the different reasons why your dog may be vomiting after drinking water.

Irregular drinking patterns 

Thirsty dogs are often prone to throwing up water. When a dog drinks too much water, too fast, after having just undergone intense physical activity, there is frequently a tendency for the dog’s stomach to fill up faster than the body system can contain it. If the rate of gulping water is too extreme, the dog will vomit. Even when this happens only once, it is likely to happen again.

Drinking contaminated water

Dogs can easily get bacteria in their stomach, which is what causes them to vomit. There are several factors that can cause this type of infection, but it is usually the bowl where your pooch drinks out of that gets contaminated with bacteria and organisms like worms, fleas, and mites. The issue is that most pet owners don’t take time to wash the dog bowls after every use. In fact, experts warn that these bowls can be unclean for as long as 10 days before it gets cleaned. And if food contaminated with E coli reaches a dog’s mouth, the pet’s stomach will become irritated. The irritation will make it regurgitate what was consumed within the last 5-10 minutes while drinking water (usually water or saliva), causing vomiting.

Intestinal parasites

If your dog keeps throwing up after drinking water, there’s every chance that the pooch may be suffering from some type of parasite. This is especially likely if your dog shows the additional symptoms of diarrhea and lethargy. There are two main types of parasites that tend to make dogs vomit after drinking water, these are Giardia and Cryptosporidium. 

Foreign objects

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. One drawback, though, is that dogs tend to pick up a lot of inedible stuff with their mouths. And a pooch that’s been throwing up a lot after drinking water may have ingested a substance that is causing a blockage in its digestive tract. Dogs that have ingested indigestible substances, along with throwing up water, can also be observed retching in a bid to get rid of the foreign substances. Foreign objects may be things such as rocks or dirt that your dog could have gotten into while out in the yard. 

Underlying condition

A dog vomiting after drinking water is a typical issue faced by pet owners. Dogs who are suffering from viral infections and mild gastrointestinal issues will often show some signs of throwing up after drinking water. Such symptoms may be false alarms and the situation may be normal, or they may be tipped off to transient health issues, while problems with kidney failure are also possible.

How to make your dog throw up

How to make dog a dog throw up

While hydrogen peroxide is the best method to ensure your pup will throw up there are less invasive options. You may want to consider feeding your dog a small meal after they swallow a foreign object. Feeding your dog a small amount of dog food or cooked chicken and rice may be a good idea to induce vomiting. However, this will only work best if they haven’t eaten any food in 2-3 hours. This may not get your dog to throw up whatever they mistakenly ate but it is a safer and easier option. Especially if you don’t have hydrogen peroxide 3% around.

Final words 

The best option you have when dealing with a dog that has ingested a toxic substance is to make the dog throw up. As discussed previously, the sooner your dog throws up, the less damage poison can cause. If you have attempted to induce vomiting and your dog did not throw up, call your local veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. Your vet will be able to help you assess what else needs to be done in order to save your pet. 

Just remember that trying to make a dog vomit isn’t always successful. But it’s worth the extra effort if you know your dog has ingested something that could be harmful to him, and timing is key. Whether or not your dog vomits, you should always contact your vet if you suspect he has swallowed something dangerous.

 

Sources:

https://wagwalking.com/symptom/why-is-my-dog-sick-after-drinking-water

https://www.articleinsider.com/top-5-dog-foods-for-your-dog

https://www.petsbest.com/blog/how-to-make-your-dog-vomit/

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ingestion-of-foreign-bodies-in-dogs

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