Remedies for Pet Poisoning

An unprotected household substance and a curious dog or cat can lead to disaster faster than you might think. Cleaning products, antifreeze, chocolate, plants like mushrooms, rat poison and more can lead to a sudden case of pet poisoning. Often the trouble can be treated with a home remedy, saving the time and expense of a trip to the vet. You should know what to look for in the event professional help is quickly needed for the survival of your animal.

  1. Diagnosis

    • If your pet is unconscious, having trouble breathing or having one or several seizures, the time to try a home remedy is past. Get your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible. If symptoms are not severe, you might be able to care for your pet at home.

      The first step in applying an effective remedy for poisoning is to examine the symptoms and figure out what the poison was. For example, a chocolate overdose would be treated differently than if your pet drank bleach.

    Noncaustic Poisons

    • If your pet has ingested a noncaustic poison, the goal is to induce vomiting. An example of a caustic poison would be Drain-O. Do not induce vomiting in such cases.

      A simple method to induce vomiting is with a syringe or turkey baster and household hydrogen peroxide. Squirt 1 tbsp. hydrogen peroxide for every 10 lbs. of body weight down your pet's throat. He should vomit within five minutes. If that fails, repeat the dosage after 15 minutes have passed since the initial dose. Do not administer a third dosage. Hydrogen peroxide can itself be dangerous in too high a quantity.

    Caustic Poison

    • A caustic poison should not be treated with vomiting because it will burn tissue when it is vomited back up. The goal is to neutralize it. An alkaline caustic, like drain cleaner, can be neutralized with 3 tsp. of vinegar or lemon juice diluted in equal parts water. Use a syringe or turkey baster to squirt it into the back of your pet's mouth to counteract the damaging effects and cool her belly.

      If the poison was acidic, such as battery acid or bleach, administer 1 tsp. of Milk of Magnesia for every 5 lbs. of your pet's weight. Another option is to try to get your pet to swallow activated charcoal (this is different from grilling charcoal) mixed with water. Either should absorb the toxin before it spreads through your pet's system. Milk will also dilute poison and coat the lining of the mouth and stomach to reduce damage.

    Considerations

    • In some cases, the preceding remedies might be all that is necessary to treat a poisoned pet. However, if there are lingering symptoms or you are suspicious more treatment is needed, take your pet to a vet. Better to be safe than sorry.