Household Poisons Help Sheet

This page contains a list of household products that are poisonous to dogs. They're found in and around many homes, sometimes, unfortunately, where pets can reach them.

For many poisons, it's important to remove the ingested substance from a pet's stomach by causing him to vomit. This chart tell you when to induce vomiting and when not to.

Why shouldn't you induce vomiting for any poisoning? ... Because caustic substances like drain cleaners or petroleum-based products burn and damage the lining of the mouth, espohagus and stomach. Vomiting those substances, would increase the damage they cause, by burning one time when they are swallowed and a second time when they are vomited.

To quickly induce vomiting -

Give one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide for every ten pounds of body weight , or...

Combine one tablespoon of dry mustard with one cup of cold water, or...

Syrup of ipecac - 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds body weight

Do Not induce vomiting - regardless of the poison source...

if the dog is having trouble breathing

Dog is unconscious or comatose

if the dog is having seizures

if the dog has swallowed a sharp object

if over 2 hours have passed since ingestion

Get Help -
Get your dog to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible!

On the way - Keep your dog warm, wrapped in a blanket.

If you have any of the poison, take it along - in its original container.

If dog has vomited, bring a sample of that too.

If you're not sure if an ingested substance is poisonous, or you have questions about symptoms, etc, call a local poison control center, listed in the blue pages, or commmunity section of most telephone books.

The ASPCA has an 24 hour Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 888-426-4435 There is a $45 consultation fee charged to the caller.

Links to additional information -

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center - What To Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned, toxic plants, a free pet safety pack and much more

From the AVMA - What You Should Know About Household Hazards to Pets - From pennies to plants, this brochure identifies the most common household substances and materials that pose a danger to the health of a pet.

Dog Health Guide - Dog Poisoning - Salmon Poisoning in Dogs, macadamia nut toxicity, over the counter pain medications are harmful to dogs and more

Mushrooms - Deadly Poisons in Your Own Backyard

Source of Poison	Induce Vomiting?
antifreeze	yes
arsenic (in mouse & rat poisons)	yes
battery acid	no
bleach	no
crayons	yes
drain cleaner	no
furniture polish	no
glue, paste	no
household cleaners	no
insecticides	yes
kerosene	no
laundry detergent	no
marijuana	yes, only if under 30 minutes after ingestion
matches	yes
medications	yes
motor oil	no
nail polish	no
nail polish remover	no
paint thinner	no
pine-oil cleaner	no
plaster, putty	no
shampoo	yes
shoe polish	yes
toilet bowl cleaner	no
turpentine	no