At-Home Cure for Aspirin Poisoning in Dogs
While a vet may recommend buffered aspirin as a canine pain reliever, a dog can overdose and become very sick. Aspirin poisoning can result in kidney failure, stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, seizures and death. Therefore, it is critical for a dog owner to respond quickly. Normally, you should always take a poisoned dog to a veterinarian, but if there is no possible way to reach a vet, then you may have to consider home treatments, at least until you can take your dog in for proper veterinary care.
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Recognizing the Symptoms
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Aspirin poisoning has many prominent symptoms. According to VetInfo.com, common symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and black, tarlike stools. More intense symptoms include random bleeding, discolored gums, excessive panting and noticeably diluted urine.
Be sure your dog has ingested aspirin, however, because aspirin toxicity can resemble other problems, such as pancreatitis.
Contacting a Veterinarian
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According to the Dog Health Guide, you should always contact the veterinarian about a problem. Even if you cannot physically take the dog to a clinic, a veterinarian can suggest treatments. For example, the veterinarian may tell you to induce vomiting or administer a laxative. A veterinarian also can ask questions to pinpoint other causes of the symptoms, such as antifreeze poisoning.
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Induced Vomiting
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Sometimes, forcing the dog to vomit can rid its stomach of the worst of the aspirin, according to PetPlace.com. The most common way to induce vomiting is to give your dog 3 ccs of hydrogen peroxide for every 20 pounds of weight. This is more effective when the dog has ingested the aspirin within the past four hours.
Charcoal
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Another method that veterinarians commonly use to treat aspirin poisoning is to feed the dog activated charcoal, which binds the toxins and passes through the digestive tract. You should confirm with an on-the-phone veterinarian that charcoal is correct for the given situation. According to Dog Breed Info, you can buy activated charcoal at most pet stores. The charcoal will turn the dog's stool black.
Rehydration
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Once your dog has vomited or passed charcoal, it is going to be dehydrated. A veterinarian can administer an IV, but at-home treatment will simply require water. Until the dog's fluid levels have restabilized, it will remain sickly.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit dog image by Michal Tudek from Fotolia.com
