Can Dogs Eat Cough Drops? Is Menthol Bad for Puppies?
Sore throat is common in this season. It can affect anyone. When you are down with a sore throat, a cough drop helps to soothe it. Some other medicines that are used to treat cold usually make one dizzy and sleepy.
So it is possible that your dog takes your cough drops that you did not put away before you slept. The question on your mind is what to do.
This article provides information to guide you on what to do when your dog eats cough drop due to any reason.
First of all, you have to ensure that your dog does not choke on the cough drop. Then, peruse through the ingredients of the cough drop to see if there is a toxic agent there. Then rush the dog to the emergency pet hospital immediately.
Presuming your dog swallowed a Halls cough drop, it can even be more serious than if it swallows normal cough drop. Nevertheless, find out what to do if this happens.
How Do You Handle it if your Dog Eats A Cough Drop?
Remember that issue we are treating is that your dog has eaten a Halls cough drop. So here is what you should do:
Check Out the Ingredients
At first, it may not seem crucial to look at the ingredients, because you might feel that the first thing to do is to run around to see how to fix your dog, but you must look through the ingredients.
What you do not know is that there are different types of cough drops. So you must be sure of the origin of the problem so that you can treat it effectively. `
By checking through the ingredient, you will know if your dog ate a Halls cough drop or another type. Although it is rare, some cough drops do not even have toxic ingredients. If your dog ate such a cough drop, then your dog might not have any issues.
We will list the toxic ingredients later in this article.
What Quantity Did the Dog Consume?
Asides from checking through the ingredients of the cough drop, you also have to find out and check a few other things. First, find out where the cough drop came from. Check if your dog ate the one you accidentally dropped or if it got access to the place where you keep all the cough drops.
The essence of this is to ascertain the quantity of cough drops your dog must have eaten.
Unwrapped or Wrapped?
Now that you have probably ascertained the quantity of cough drop your dog ate, you must also check to see if your dog swallowed the cough drop wrappers. Cough drops are difficult to digest, if your dog ingested the wrapper too, that’s a more serious issue.
This is because the cough drop wrappers can cause blockage or choke the dog. It is impossible to digest these wrappers, so it requires a serious process like surgery to remove the wrappers from your dog’s system.
If you still can’t remove the wrappers, your dog’s life is in danger.
Get Expert Help
As mentioned earlier, it is a serious issue for your dog to ingest cough drops and their wrapper, so it is not advisable to try home remedies. Do not try quick fixes you read online, do not try to make the dog vomit, do not try to draw out the wrapper.
It is best to allow a professional to handle it. All that is required of you is to carry out the aforementioned processes which will aid your vet in performing their job and save time too.
Typical dog owners often have a veterinarian they trust, whom they always visit in case of emergencies and for regular checkups. So the dog would have been familiar with the clinic and will feel comfortable there. It gives dog owners peace of mind when their dog is being treated in the clinic.
As good as the above may sound, you should not allow it to stall your dog’s treatment. So if our regular veterinarian is away or unavailable, go to the emergency veterinary clinic closest to you immediately.
At the clinic, they will check your dog and offer instant help to make your dog stable after which you can transfer to your normal vet clinic later on if you wish.
Other Things That Can Help
You can do more in addition to all that has been listed above. You can tabs of the time which your dog ate the cough drop, you can note any delayed or immediate changes in your dog’s performance.
Report dry mouth, lethargy, hyperactivity, or any other strange thing you notice to your vet. This information will aid your vet in giving adequate care to your dog.
Also, note your dog’s stool. Check to see if your dog’s poo schedule changes and watch out for signs of constipation or diarrhea and relate everything to the doctor.
You should write down all these facts so that you do not forget them. Finally, ensure that you avoid similar risks in the future. For instance, make sure to keep all cough drops away from your dog’s reach.
Toxicity of Cough Drop
Below is a list of toxic ingredients in cough drops that are harmful to dogs
-
- Xylitol
- Benzocaine
- Menthol
- Sugar
- Eucalyptus Oil
- Additives
Related Questions
What can I give a dog for cough?
There is a common home remedy for cough. Give the dog half to one teaspoon of honey regularly. You can mix the honey with the dog’s food or water if your dog does not like to eat honey directly.
Similarly, herbal tea also helps to calm dog cough.
Can My Dog Have Cough Syrup?
No, cough syrups are deadly to dogs. The chemical composition and ingredients in the syrups can kill your dog. You can only give your dog cough medicine on the recommendation of your vet.
Do Cough Drops Contain Xylitol?
No, sugar is often used instead of Xylitol
Do Dogs Cry?
Dogs feel sad too, because they have emotions like humans, but they cannot cry.
Can Dogs Get Hurt By Vicks Vaporizer?
Yes, the vaporizer’s strong smell repels dogs. And Vicks vaporizers are lethal to dogs.
Why Does My Dog Keep Gagging and Coughing
This happens because of viruses or bacteria, which result in kennel cough otherwise known as canine cough.
