# My first hydrogen peroxide experience



## julie87 (Aug 19, 2012)

I just bought Arexa a brand new tennis ball from PetsMart after playing with it for couple of minutes I noticed the dog started chewin on it. I was like wth?!! I immidiately took it out of her mouth, I look at it about an inch of it is missing. I read somewhere that you are suppose to give dogs hydrogen peroxide if they swallow something they aren't suppose to. So I gave her 1 tablespoon, she is 50 pounds. She started throwing up white foam,and a piece of tennis ball..... I panic, call emergency vet, they told me she was going to be ok. There were so many things going through my mind, I though what if she will die? Why is she throwing up so much? Her stomach was moving, she looked scared. I was thinking what If I KILLED HER what if there is no time to save her? What if she will die at night while we are sleeping? She is only 9 months old, we need each other. I will think about her every day of my life. I can't believe a ball killed my dog, I hate Petsmart. How could she destroy it in matter of minutes!!? What if she throws up her intensitnes? When does it end? I just want her to be happy again...

Anyway, afterwards she scratched to door wanting to go potty. She came back happy and playing like nothing ever happend, and was searching for food, which I was told not to give for 2 hrs. What a panic, my heart was beating fast and I was shaking. But the piece of tennis ball was out and in the end she is ok. My point of this thread is I will never buy Petsmart brand balls again, and it helps to know what do it in an emergency... and will be watching her if she is playing with tennis balls...even though she was sitting next to me she manged to eat it!!! I still don't know how she could destroy it so FAST.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Petsmart tennis balls are pieces of junk. They do come apart very quickly. Even 'good' tennis balls can be torn apart by GSDs, but not that fast. Grim isn't allowed to have them because of the wear down on the teeth. Heck, my PUG was able to tear the outside off a tennis ball from Petsmart....which is when I found out how flimsy they are. You can get the "Chuck-It" brand plastic type balls that are about the same size without any of those issues. I didn't know about the hydrogen peroxide, though!


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The Planet Dog Diamond plate ball is also very good. Mine are a year, plus old and used multiple times a day with two dogs. The 4.25 inch size will fit in the large chuck-it launcher a little bit looser than the chuck-it ball but throws fine (I won't use a 2.5 inch ball because so many dogs have choked on that size). I really like the softness of the material and it is made in the USA.

PlanetDog.com: Buy the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff® Diamond Plate Ball - 5 out of 5 Chompers


The ball with the planets on it..I leave out and they don't seem to destroy any orbee stuff I have given them though they like to carry them around. I have complained to them about the planets though because they dogs started ripping them off and I pulled them all off with pliers before I gave it back to them.


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## wildwolf60 (Apr 13, 2001)

I second getting an Orbee...I read that the tennis balls are bad for their teeth, too. They get grit in the fabric of the tennis ball, and it wears down the teeth. I also pulled off 'continents' on the planet ball, cause Jaeger started ripping them off almost right away. Didn't want him swallowing those either. Glad your pup is ok! I bet that was scary, but al least you were on the spot with getting that piece out right away. 
The Orbee we have is now over 6 months old and no problems, hasn't chewed it up or damaged it in any way. He would actually pop the tennis balls before within a day or so when I played with them. I never left them laying around for him, they were only brought out for outside fetch play. I now use a rubber chuck it ball, not the tennis ball type for outside fetch. He's got gorgeous teeth!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

First thing I'd say is relax. My dogs have been eating tennis balls for over 30 years with no problems. I'd be more worried about poisoning with the peroxide. I've never heard of giving a dog peroxide to puke before. Ugh! The last few years since I've learned tennis balls are "supposedly" bad I've switched to the JW and Kong balls. They have a blast with them and don't tear them up so easily.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Definitely relax. A bit of tennis ball isn't going to kill her. You'd be surprised just what sort of things can pass through a dog's system and not kill it. That being said, I understand why you panicked. And had it been something more ominous, the peroxide is a good quick judgement call. 

The hydrogen peroxide is a non toxic way to induce vomiting. It won't poison your dog, though it could slightly irritate the throat and stomach. One way to administer it is by mixing it in a bit of melted ice cream (because often dogs won't eat the peroxide on it's own.) 

Another way to induce vomiting is by giving your dog strong salt water. This is just as effective as the hydrogen peroxide only not quite as irritating.

Both methods are worth remembering if you ever find yourself in an emergency situation where you do have to induce vomiting on your dog. I've had to use the salt water solution in the past with Juno when she accidentally ingested rat poison, which is incredible toxic and can be fatal for dogs.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

There was a dog owned by someone on the board who died years ago from eating a tennis ball. It was months later, and she'd seemed fine all along, and then suddenly got sick. The owner thought all the pieces had passed and had no idea that any were still left inside. The vet did surgery and when they opened her up they discovered the pieces of tennis ball, and that a large portion of her intestines had died off. There was nothing to be done, she was euthanized on the table.  Not to freak anyone out, but if you think your dog has ingested something it's a good idea to have x-rays done unless you're absolutely sure all the pieces are out. 

Peroxide is commonly used to induce vomiting in dogs: Peroxide to Induce Vomiting in Dogs | eHow.com


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

We had a similar experience last August with a chuck it ball. Here's the thread.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/189531-induce-vomiting-not.html


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Rua said:


> Another way to induce vomiting is by giving your dog strong salt water. This is just as effective as the hydrogen peroxide only not quite as irritating.


Haha! I tried this once after my dog had gotten out and gone dumpster diving.  I must have given her 1/4 cup of salt and she would NOT vomit! She did drink a ton of water after that, but otherwise seemed fine. She had an iron stomach!


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Actually that's very true about the chunks of tennis ball being bad. When I said a bit of tennis ball wasn't gonna kill her, I meant like a small strip of the fluffy fabric stuff on the outside. But if she's managed to eat chunks of the actual plasticky inside ball part, then you should be sure she gets it all out.


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Freestep said:


> Haha! I tried this once after my dog had gotten out and gone dumpster diving.  I must have given her 1/4 cup of salt and she would NOT vomit! She did drink a ton of water after that, but otherwise seemed fine. She had an iron stomach!


Yeah, I know. It can be a bit hit and miss at times! If I ever had another issue where I needed to induce vomiting again, I think I'd opt for the hydrogen peroxide. You don't need much and you can hide it ice cream.

When I used the salt solution I used a syringe to get Juno to swallow it, and it was so messy and she kept giving me her sad eyebrows because she thought I was mad at her. lol Poor thing. It's a wonder she has survived me at all.


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## julie87 (Aug 19, 2012)

Yeah it wasn't just the fabric on the tennis ball that she swallowed it was the plastic with sharp edges! So scary I will never look at tennis balls the same ever again. And from what I've herd it's 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds that's considered safe. So you would need A LOT to actually kill the dog. Still I was paranoid that she will throw up her guts out, her stomach was moving and she looked so sad it was just horrible! White foam was coming out I remember seeing the bloat video on YouTube and the dog was throwing up white foam and I was thinking oh my goodness what if I gave her a bloat! I know it sounds silly but I love her to death and the though of loosing her is terrifying... 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

shepherdmom said:


> First thing I'd say is relax. My dogs have been eating tennis balls for over 30 years with no problems. _I'd be more worried about poisoning with the peroxide. I've never heard of giving a dog peroxide to puke before. Ugh! _ The last few years since I've learned tennis balls are "supposedly" bad I've switched to the JW and Kong balls. They have a blast with them and don't tear them up so easily.


Peroxide won't poison a dog, it makes them barf and everyone should keep an unopened bottle on hand for emergencies. If it is an opened bottle, it won't have the fizz to get the dog barfing.
Though depending on what the dog eats....I wouldn't use peroxide with any accidental medication ingestion/it may counter act in the gut.
Tennis balls ingested or not can be harmful. Better options for toys as you've found out!!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

don't give your dog tennis balls. i think they're to small
and not sturdy enough for a larger dog. they're probably
made in China so that's another reason for me not to give them
to my dog.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Against tennis balls in my book

seriously abrasive, even if not allowed to chew and use a fetch toy
Risk of choking due to size
The way GSDs munch on their balls, I have had way too many broken in two in no time.


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Lectric soda (washing soda crystals) also work well for inducing vomiting and according to my Vet they are less irritating than peroxide.

Some stuff you also don't want to make the dog vomit up, it could do more damage coming out (sharp piece of stick or bone etc)


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## Rua (Jan 2, 2012)

Two chomps and any tennis ball we've ever encountered is flattened and destroyed. So I never give ours tennis balls either (except for when Juno was less than 4 months old and didn't have the jaw strength to break them back then.)

Solid Rubber balls are your only man! They're the only thing that my dogs haven't destroyed.

I recently tried some hollow rubber balls that had a squeaker in them. The balls themselves have remained quite resilient, but the squeaker was gone in two chomps and the only noise it makes now is a "puft puft" sound.


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## julie87 (Aug 19, 2012)

Does anyone have any tips on when to induce vomiting and when to let it pass the other end or take the dog to the vet? Any personal experiences?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Just call the vet and ask, each time. Safest way to do it.


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## SukiGirl (Aug 31, 2012)

My advice would be to only induce vomiting if a dog licks up something poisonous/food items or something small/soft enough (without sharp edges) that won't pose a greater risk to the dog if it comes back up. I would worry about the dog having a secondary choking problem if you were to try to induce vomiting after they swallowed a large piece of something or especially something sharp. A lot of times, a vet can use a barium tool to safely remove a sharp item from the dog's stomach before it passes through the intestines. Your best bet is to call a vet and thoroughly explain the situation before you take matters into your own hands.


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## Eryxis (Feb 11, 2013)

Not a GSD, but I've used peroxide on my Beagle before. Because he ate, wait for it... a pair of panties WHOLE. Unfortunately, it was not the first time he'd done it either. He ate my mother in laws big baggy panties and had diminished appetite for a week (we had no clue he'd gotten into anything at all), but was still having bowel movements. One morning he starts gagging, gagging, gagging and throws up a pair of intact disgusting panties after about 2 minutes. Needless to say we watch him much closer, and warn all house guests not to leave any undergarments anywhere within his reach.


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