How to make your dog puke

Let me fill you in on a little secret: Dr. Google isn’t always right!

Veterinarians often cringe when pet owners find information (or shall I say “mis-information”) on the Internet. Unless it comes from a reputable source, please be smart about what information you use when it comes to medical treatment of your dog or cat (or kid or family member!). That said, I want you to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, so you can provide the best care for your pet.As a toxicologist, I see a lot of accidental poisonings in dogs and cats. That’s because common household items can be really dangerous to your pets (like grapes, raisins, chocolate, human medications, pain medications, chemicals, etc.). With that, I see people trying all different methods to induce vomiting in their dog or cat. Some methods can be life threatening. Some methods can be dangerous. Some methods can make your pet worse. And some just plain don’t work. So, when it comes to trying to induce vomiting in your pet, please take heed!

If your pet got into something poisonous, you always want to call your veterinarian or an animal poison control center first. Why? Because sometimes you can cause more injury or harm if you induce vomiting when it’s not appropriate.

First, we never recommend inducing vomiting with these types of poisons:

Corrosive chemicals (e.g., oven cleaners, drain cleaners, batteries, lime removal products, etc.) – can cause more damage to the esophagus if you induce vomiting.
Hydrocarbons or petroleum distillates (e.g., kerosene, gasoline, motor oil, etc.). These oily substances are easily inhaled into the lungs, causing a severe aspiration pneumonia.

In dogs, we only recommend inducing vomiting at home in these situations:

If the substance ingested was poisonous
Recent ingestion (e.g., your dog just ate grapes less than an hour ago)
Your dog is asymptomatic, meaning he’s not showing any signs of the poisoning at all
Your dog is healthy and isn’t at risk for inhaling the vomit into his lungs (e.g., he doesn’t have previous medical problems like an abnormal airway [e.g., laryngeal paralysis, collapsing trachea, etc.], an abnormal esophagus [e.g., megaesophagus, etc.], or isn’t brachycephalic [e.g., he has a smooshed face and is more at risk for inhaling his vomit into his lungs. Brachycephalic breeds include the following: English bulldogs, Pekingese, Shih-Tzus, Pugs, etc.].
For dogs, keep in mind that the only currently safe and recommended “at home” product to induce vomiting is 3% hydrogen peroxide.

We never recommend inducing vomiting in dogs using any of these methods:

Physically sticking a finger down the throat (yes, people do this and it’s completely asinine!)
Mustard
Salt (due to side effects from causing a very elevated sodium level)
Syrup of ipecac (due to profound side effects)

Again, always check with your veterinarian or an animal poison control center first prior to inducing vomiting. Sometimes it can be too late or can cause more harm if you induce vomiting inappropriately.Cat owners should be aware of the following: There’s nothing you can safely give to CATS if they’ve eaten something poisonous. Products like salt, mustard, syrup of ipecac, and hydrogen peroxide aren’t safe to give in cats, and you need to seek immediate veterinary attention if your cat ate something poisonous. Your veterinarian has more effective drugs called alpha-adrenergic agonist drugs to help induce vomiting.So, for dog owners, just how much hydrogen peroxide do we give? Keep in mind that you can give too much which can result in bloody vomiting and uncontrollable vomiting. You always want to use the correct amount. In general, the dose of hydrogen peroxide in dogs is approximately 0.5 – 1 ml per pound weight. If your dog weighs 50 pounds, you can give 25 – 50 mls of fresh, non-expired hydrogen peroxide orally, once. Keep in mind that 15 mls = 1 tablespoon (or 5 mls = 1 teaspoon), so this would be approximately 1.5 – 3.5 TBSP.

When in doubt, make sure you check with your veterinarian first. Always be safe and never rely on Dr. Google alone!

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

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You come back home and notice your dog isn’t looking very well. After looking around your house, you discover that your dog has gotten into a potentially harmful substance—one that could be life threatening if it stays in your dog’s system. Although getting a dog to vomit is never pleasant, it can be an important first step in ridding a dog’s body of a toxin. To get your dog to vomit, learn how to administer hydrogen peroxide, get veterinary care, and follow general guidelines on inducing vomiting.

1
Determine if your dog needs to vomit. Before inducing vomit, make sure it is the right thing to do. If your dog swallowed any of the following substances, you should induce vomiting at home:
- Antifreeze, if your dog swallowed it in the past two hours
- Chocolate
- Grapes or raisins[1] X Research source Go to source
- Tylenol or Aspirin[2] X Research source Go to source
- Plants, such as azaleas and daffodils[3] X Research source Go to source
2

Move your dog to a different area. If your dog is laying on its bed or on the carpet, you’ll want to move your dog somewhere else before inducing vomiting. For example, take your dog outside or move your dog to an area where cleaning up vomit will be easy, like a room with linoleum flooring.
- If your dog is weak, it may not be able to walk easily on its own. You may need to carry your dog or at least help it walk to where you want it to go.
3
Feed your dog a small meal. At first, it may seem strange to feed your dog to get it to vomit. However, feeding your dog a little food can actually increase the chances of vomiting. A small portion of canned food or a slice of plain bread are good food choices.[4] X Research source Go to source
- Canned food will be easy for your dog to eat and is tastier than dry food.
- Your dog may not want to eat on its own. If this happens, try putting the food directly in your dog’s mouth to get it to eat.
- Do not spend a lot of time trying to get your dog to eat.
4
Call your vet or animal poison control center. This is very important! Do not try to get your dog to vomit before calling your vet or animal poison control center. When you call, provide as much information as possible so they can instruct you on what to do (and what not to do) next. Important information includes:[5] X Expert Source
Ray Spragley, DVM
Veterinarian Expert Interview. 19 February 2021. Go to source
- What you think your dog ingested (toxic plant, house cleaning product, chocolate)
- How long you think it’s been since your dog ingested the toxin
- Your dog’s symptoms
- Your dog’s size
5
Determine how much 3% hydrogen peroxide your dog will need. If your vet or poison control center says it’s okay to induce vomiting, give your dog 3% hydrogen peroxide, which is available at your local pharmacy. It is the preferred vomit-inducing product for dogs. Give your dog one teaspoon hydrogen peroxide per 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of body weight.
6
Administer the hydrogen peroxide. Draw up the hydrogen peroxide into an ear or eye dropper.[7] X Research source Go to source Drop the measured amount of hydrogen peroxide as far back on your dog’s tongue as you can.[8] X Research source Go to source
- Do not mix hydrogen peroxide into your dog’s food or water before drawing it up in the dropper.[9] X Research source Go to source
7
Walk your dog. Walking can stimulate vomiting by letting your dog’s stomach contents mix with the hydrogen peroxide. Walk your dog for a few minutes. If your dog isn’t up to walking, gently shake or move its belly.[10] X Research source Go to source
8
Wait for your dog to vomit. After being given hydrogen peroxide, dogs usually vomit within a few minutes. If your dog does not vomit after 10 minutes, give it another dose of hydrogen peroxide.[11] X Research source Go to source
- Some sources say not to give a dog more than two doses of hydrogen peroxide.[12] X Research source Go to source Others say up to three doses is acceptable. Before giving a third dose, call your vet.

1
Take your dog to your vet. Your dog will need to be treated by your vet, even if you got your dog to vomit. Vomiting is just a quick fix and will not get rid of all the toxin in your dog’s stomach. Veterinary care is essential if your dog didn't vomit—this means your dog will need something stronger than hydrogen peroxide to vomit.[13] X Research source Go to source
- Do not get delay in getting your dog to your vet.
- If your dog vomited, take a picture of it to show to your vet.
2
Tell your vet what happened. Even if you already spoke to your vet before giving your dog hydrogen peroxide, it will be helpful to repeat what happened while your vet examines your dog. You should also tell your vet how much hydrogen peroxide you gave your dog and how many times you gave the hydrogen peroxide.[14] X Expert Source
Ray Spragley, DVM
Veterinarian Expert Interview. 19 February 2021. Go to source
- If your dog vomited, describe what the vomit looked like, or show the picture of the vomit.
3
Allow your vet to treat your dog. Your vet has access to medications that can induce vomiting, as well as substances that can prevent toxin absorption. For example, your vet can give your dog activated charcoal, which will bind to the toxin in the digestive system and prevent absorption.
- Apomorphine is an opioid medication that can induce vomiting. It usually works within five to ten minutes.[15] X Research source Go to source
- A drug called xylazine can also induce vomiting in dogs.[16] X Research source Go to source
- Your vet will determine the best way to treat your dog’s ingestion of a toxic substance.

1
Research which substances should not be vomited up. Some substances, after being ingested, can cause a lot of damage if vomited back up. If you know your dog swallowed one of the following substances, do not induce vomiting:
- Bleach
- Drain cleaner
- Petroleum-containing substance, such as gasoline
2
Look for signs of serious poisoning. Getting a dog to vomit can be dangerous if the dog is extremely sick or unresponsive. If your dog is showing signs of severe poisoning, do not induce vomiting. Take your dog to your vet right away. Look for the following signs indicating severe poisoning:
- Difficulty breathing
- Looking depressed
- Having seizures
- Slow heart rate
- Unconsciousness
3
Do not use ipecac or salt to induce vomiting. Syrup of ipecac used to be recommended for inducing vomiting in dogs. However, it can linger in the stomach and cause a lot of stomach irritation if a dog doesn’t vomit. Salt is also no longer recommended because it can become toxic if a dog is given too much of it.[17] X Research source Go to source
4
Induce vomiting promptly. If possible, get your dog to vomit within about two hours after it has ingested something toxic.[18] X Research source Go to source After two hours, the toxin will have moved into the intestines, making induction of vomiting no longer effective.

Should I be concerned if my dog threw up out of nowhere?

No, dogs throw up on occasion. If they aren't acting strange or sick and they haven't eaten anything potentially dangerous, you probably shouldn't worry about it too much.
What should I do if I'm not sure what my dog ate was dangerous?

Grab the packaging or look up the contents of whatever they ate online and call your vet. Ask them if what they've eaten is dangerous. If your vet isn't around or they aren't sure, call ASPCA's animal control.
Can I give my dog hydrogen peroxide at home?

You theoretically could, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's much safer to have a vet do this so that they can administer a safe amount and see how your dog responds.

This article was co-authored by Ray Spragley, DVM. Dr. Ray Spragley is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and the Owner/Founder of Zen Dog Veterinary Care PLLC in New York. With experience in multiple institutions and private practices, Dr. Spragley’s specializations and interests include non-surgical management of cranial cruciate ligament tears, Intervertebral Disk Disease(IVDD), and pain management in osteoarthritis. Dr. Spragley holds a BS in Biology from SUNY Albany and has a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM) from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. He is also a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) through the Canine Rehab Institute as well as a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA) through Chi University. This article has been viewed 821,732 times.

Co-authors: 23

Updated: March 18, 2021

Article Rating: 58% - 12 votes

Categories: Emergency Dog Care

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"The tip about walking the dog to stimulate emesis was most helpful, as it's missing in the other links I've read. I've done this before, and just put the dog in her kennel and she never puked after two tries. We went to the vet and on the ride there, her kennel kind slid off the back seat and tumbled around. Next thing I smell is chocolate! The rough ride made her puke, she was covered in chocolate! At least it didn't smell bad. I probably could have avoided the vet visit."

"Our dog ate some rat sack. Within the 2-hour period we gave her the peroxide and went for a walk. No vomit, so gave her the second dose, went for a walk (prayed), and next thing, vomit with the rat sack in it! Once vomiting stopped, we gave her the activated charcoal."
"I just assumed that all situations concerning dogs, no matter the dog size nor what the dog consumed, was enough to get the dog to vomit."
"The tip to walk the dog. That worked great! Easy cleanup and I saw what he had eaten, so I didn't have to take him to the vet."
"It was very informative - good to know for future reference, but too much time has elapsed for current situation."
"Helpful all the way around! Thank you!"

How to make your dog puke

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