If your dog has ingested rat poison, the complications can be serious and possibly life-threatening. If you know that your dog has consumed rat poison in large quantities (especially if you have a small dog), take your dog to the veterinarian. If your dog has consumed a lesser amount of rat poison, is a large dog, or if your dog has consumed the rat poison only within the past several hours, a few at-home treatments exist.
Things You'll Need
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Medicine dropper
- Activated charcoal
- Vitamin K
- Water
Instructions
Give your dog two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide just after he eats the rat poison. If your dog is over 75 pounds, you may need to give an additional half-teaspoon. Because your dog will most likely not take the hydrogen peroxide willingly, administer it via a medicine dropper, or baby dropper. Gently open the dog's mouth and squeeze the dropper to shoot the hydrogen peroxide down its throat.
Keep your dog in a small area like a bathroom, preferably without carpeting. The dog will begin to vomit very soon after ingesting the hydrogen peroxide. Allow the dog to vomit until its stomach is emptied.
Give your dog a dose of activated charcoal. The dose will vary depending on the brand that you purchase, so ask a pharmacist or veterinarian about the proper dosage. The dosage will vary by the dog's weight and will be the same per pound as for a human. Again, the dog will not willingly take the activated charcoal, but it may be the most important treatment in saving your dog because it binds with the rat poisoning chemicals and doesn't allow them to absorb. If the activated charcoal does not come in a squeeze bottle, give your dog the activated charcoal with the medicine dropper.
Give your dog 5 mg of Vitamin K per 2.25 pounds of weight. If your dog is 20 pounds, you need to give your dog about 40 mg of Vitamin K. Do this twice a day for up to three weeks.
Encourage your dog to drink a lot of water a few hours after the activated charcoal treatment (but not before). This will help its system flush out the toxic chemicals, while also hydrating the dog after vomiting.