One of our page friends mentioned earlier that her dog had dug up some rat poison, ingested it, and, well, you can imagine her horror. Because of this owner’s quick thinking, her dog is fine. It got us to thinking, however, that it may not be a bad idea to share the importance of knowing what to do if your dog has ingested any kind of poison.

Before we go on, we can’t stress enough the importance of talking to a vet or poison control center before making a dog vomit. There ARE times when making a dog vomit is the WORST thing you can do, so always always always consult a veterinarian first. If a local vet isn’t available, call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680). Both hotlines are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are available to owners at a small charge. Print these numbers out.

Now.

Before you need it in a crisis, you should have on hand these phone numbers, as well as 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, a large syringe or turkey baster, a measuring teaspoon, and Latex or rubber gloves, paper towels, water, cleaning solution, and plastic bags.

Steps to Follow:

Call your veterinarian or pet poison control center/hotline.
Have as much of the following information ready as possible: your dog’s approximate weight, any health problems the dog suffers from, what he may have eaten, when he may have eaten it, and the amount potentially involved. If you are instructed to induce emesis at home, proceed. Otherwise follow the directions given to you by the veterinarian you have spoken with.

If the dog has not eaten within the last two hours, offer him a small meal. This makes it more likely that the dog will vomit but is not essential if the dog is uninterested in food.

Measure 1 milliliter (ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide per pound of dog weight, using either the syringe or teaspoon.
One teaspoon is approximately five ml. The maximum amount of hydrogen peroxide to be given at any one time is 45 ml, even if a dog weighs over 45 pounds. Squirt the hydrogen peroxide into the back of the dog’s mouth using the syringe or turkey baster.

If vomiting has not occurred within 15 minutes or so, give one more dose of hydrogen peroxide measured out as described above.
If vomiting still does not occur, call your veterinarian or the pet poison control center/hotline back for instructions.

Once vomiting has occurred, collect a sample in a leak-proof container. Bring this to your veterinarian’s office for identification if you are unsure of exactly what your dog may have eaten.

Thoroughly clean up the vomit. Wear latex or rubber gloves while handling vomit, particularly if it potentially contains a material that is hazardous to human health.

Take your dog to a vet clinic. Unless instructed otherwise by your veterinarian or the pet poison control center/hotline, take the dog to a veterinary clinic immediately for evaluation and continued treatment.

This information was taken from the Pet MD website.