Scott Linden Outdoors

What’s he getting ready to swallow?

If your dog gets into something, odds are it’s not going to be good for him. What is good for humans isn’t necessarily good for our dogs. A quick primer on poisons:

Symptoms are few if any. If you suspect your dog has swallowed something, be absolutely sure before taking action. Many smaller items will come back up on their own, usually in the middle of the night. If you suspect your dog has swallowed caustic or acidic substances or sharp objects, you should not try to induce vomiting.

First aid:

1. For small objects that aren’t sharp, or materials that aren’t caustic or acidic: squirt 20 cc of hydrogen peroxide down your dog’s throat. Walk him around for a bit (5-15 minutes). Everything should come right up. If not, another squirt and ten more minutes should do it.
2. For fish hooks, feed your dog cotton balls soaked in gravy. With luck they will catch the hooks and move them right through his G.I. tract. See a veterinarian.
3. For poisons or caustic substances, call a poison control center immediately. If the dog will drink, give milk or water to dilute. Get to the veterinarian.

Poisonous items your dog shouldn’t swallow (and their risks):

Grapes, raisins (kidney failure)

Onions, garlic, leeks (destroys red blood cells)

Chocolate (theobromine causes tremors, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms)

Avocado (ingredient persin is toxic)

Alcoholic beverages (liver damage, difficulty breathing, coma)

Coffee, tea, caffeine (muscle tremors, bleeding)

Dairy products (diarrhea)

Macadamia nuts (paralysis)

Candy & gum (artificial sweeteners )

Meat fat and bones (cause pancreatitis, choking hazard)

Persimmons, peaches, plums (pits, seeds)

Raw eggs (salmonella, E. coli)

Raw fish (“salmon poisoning,” E. coli)

Salt, salty foods (sodium ion poisoning)

Yeast dough (swells in stomach)

If your dog has ingested any of these or other poisonous substances, call the ASPCA poison control center at 888-426-4435.