What to Give Your Dog if It Eats Packing Peanuts

Dogs are known to swallow a many things, such as packing peanuts, tissue, paper, sticks, rocks, pieces of clothing, chicken bones and even Christmas ornaments. It can be quite a nerve-wracking experience to find out that your dog has swallowed something that could be potentially dangerous. Packing peanuts are choking hazards, but the biggest worry for pet owners is that they may cause intestinal block. Usually, vets try to induce vomiting in a dog if it has swallowed packing peanuts or any other foreign object.

  1. Signs of Swallowing Packing Peanuts

    • Whether a dog has swallowed packing peanuts or any other foreign body, there will be certain symptoms that the dog will display. The most common signs include pain in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, lethargy and/or trying to bite or growl when picked up due to tenderness or pain in the stomach. It is quite possible that you may notice traces of the packing peanuts in the vomitus or feces.

    Consult a Vet

    • If you suspect that your dog has ingested packing peanuts, immediately take your dog to a vet. If this is not possible, contact the vet over the telephone and find out what remedial measures you can take. Usually, the vet will recommend that you induce vomiting. However, make sure that you follow the vet's instructions precisely.

    Inducing Vomit

    • It cannot be stressed enough that you need to induce vomit only if the vet has instructed you to. This is potentially harmful for the pet and should not be tried without consulting a vet.

      Three percent hydrogen peroxide is typically used to induce vomit in dogs. Hydrogen peroxide has an expiration date, so make sure that you check it before giving it to your dog. The amount of hydrogen peroxide to give is dependent on the weight of the dog. Typically, it is 1 tsp. for each 10 lbs. of weight. Use a ball syringe to introduce the hydrogen peroxide and then walk the dog to allow the peroxide to mix with the contents in the stomach. The dog should vomit out the packing peanuts in about 15 to 20 minutes. In case the dog does not vomit, repeat the dose once more. If the dog does not vomit even after the second dose of hydrogen peroxide, it is time to take your dog to a vet, who will give the dog a stronger medication to induce vomiting.

    Preventing Ingestion of Packing Peanuts

    • Remove packing peanuts immediately after opening a new package. Also, while unpacking the box, keep your dog away, so that it cannot get to the packing peanuts behind your back. While it may not be always possible to keep the dogs away from ingesting foreign objects, keep a close watch on your pet. Many times packing peanuts pass out in the feces, but they are still potentially dangerous.