Induce vomiting in animals – When and why?

Pet owners commonly want to induce vomiting to their dogs and cats in order to make them get rid of poisonous food they ingested.

Vomiting is a natural function of the body, helping it get rid of germs, poison, drugs, bacteria, rotten food, and other substances. This applies both to humans and most animals – including dogs and cats, which are the most common pets over the years.

Although natural, inducing vomiting may cause other complications within the body. Therefore, the best decision is not to do it to your pet unless you got valid veterinarian advice.

Why inducing vomiting?

Most veterinarians induce vomiting to their animal patients in order to clean their stomach off unwanted substances.

This usually refers to poisonous substances or food that is toxic to the animal. By removing toxic substances, animals will not be able to ingest it and therefore prevent potential problems.

Meanwhile this is true, it does not mean you should always induce vomiting to your pet when it eats something bad.

When should I do it?

In most cases, it’s best to call a veterinarian immediately after, for example, the dog has eaten toxic food.

By doing so, you are giving the veterinarian enough time to check the dog and find a solution before too much of the toxic substance got digested in the dog’s stomach.

Otherwise, if by some cause you cannot get to the veterinarian, you should call one.

Most veterinarians have their own websites where their office contact number is available. You should call them to get a piece of advice on what to do.

Induce vomiting immediately if your dog ingested antifreeze. This is very important because antifreeze can trigger kidney toxicity. Therefore, many more health complications will happen unless you react instantly by inducing vomiting to your pet.

It’s also a good idea to induce vomiting if your dog ingested medicine, which may cause toxicity to some degree.

Before doing it, make sure dog didn’t swallow anything sharp that may scratch, tear or harm its throat while vomiting.

How to induce vomiting?

This depends on what animal is referred to in the question because inducing vomiting in different animals is not the same.

Substances such as hydrogen peroxide may assist animals like dogs in vomiting. It’s doing so by creating bubbles in the dog’s stomach after ingesting, triggering it to cause vomiting.

You should not do this if you are unsure if it’s a great idea. Getting advice from an expert should be your top priority.

Induce vomiting in dogs

If your dog ate something bad that might cause discomfort and nausea in its stomach, the dog will most likely throw up on its own.

However, if this is not the case, you may consider inducing vomiting to your dog by using hydrogen peroxide.

Before proceeding, please read is hydrogen peroxide safe to my pet? to make sure your furry friend remains safe.

Then, you can read how to induce vomiting in a dog with step-by-step instructions.

Induce vomiting in cats

These pets explore more than dogs, which usually results in them swallowing something unhealthy.

In many cases, inducing vomit in your cat can be a very bad idea that can harm its stomach and maybe even make the situation even worse.

It can be done similarly as it does with the dogs. Therefore, you should read is hydrogen peroxide safe to my pet? before proceeding.

Afterward, continue by reading how to induce vomiting in a cat, also with step-by-step instructions on doing it.

Veterinarian advice is always welcome, especially before inducing vomiting to your pet on your own. Therefore, make sure you consult with your veterinarian before you start.

Treatment

After giving 3% hydrogen peroxide to your pet, all you have to do is wait. If your pet does not vomit, know that it’s not uncommon. To increase chances, make your dog walk around for the bubbles in its stomach to rise.

If inducing vomiting succeeded, it may be helpful to take a sample of your pet’s vomit and take it to a veterinarian. There, the veterinarian may tell you more information about the dog’s vomit, medicine it may receive, and change in its diet if needed.

Conclusion

Even if it is not always a good idea or your pet is perfectly healthy, having the knowledge of inducing vomiting to your pet may save its life.

It can be very useful, especially if you are traveling and your pet may get sick or eat something toxic.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to always pack hydrogen peroxide in your bag before traveling.

The best advice is to do this by your hand only if you cannot transport the pet to a veterinarian. Either way, you should communicate with the veterinarian before, while, and after your pet induced vomiting.