As a pet parent, you want what’s best for your dog or puppy, but it’s also tempting to try to deal with their ailments at home when you can rather than make an unnecessary trip to the vet clinic. While veterinarians understand this, it’s important not to try any home remedies for your dog’s illness or injury without checking with them first.
Many home remedies or treatments suggested by well-meaning friends, family members, or unqualified pet lovers can be ineffective or even dangerous. So, what about hydrogen peroxide? Many people advocate the use of hydrogen peroxide for various ailments and injuries in dogs, from ear infections and skin wounds to inducing vomiting to prevent the absorption of something poisonous. But is hydrogen peroxide safe for these uses in dogs? Let’s find out.
What Is Hydrogen Peroxide?
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Hydrogen peroxide has a very similar chemical makeup to water. Both have two hydrogen atoms and oxygen, but hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contains two oxygen atoms rather than water’s one oxygen atom. This additional oxygen might seem an insignificant, or relatively minor change, but it changes the properties of the molecule completely. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent, as well as having bleaching and antiseptic properties.
Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide On Dogs?
Peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide is available at different concentrations. In humans, the 3% solution can be used as an antiseptic to help reduce bacteria number in skin wounds, mouth ulcers, and mild dental infections. While hydrogen peroxide 3% solution is recommended and used by some vets in particular countries, its use is not without risk. Therefore, it’s crucial to check with your veterinarian before using hydrogen peroxide on your dog, and you should never use a solution stronger than 3% in any circumstances.
Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide On Dog Ears?
Since hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic, which means that it kills bacteria, you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s a great option to treat a dog’s ear infection. While there’s no doubt that hydrogen peroxide will reduce the number of bacteria in your dog’s ear, it could also cause serious damage. This is because the structures of the middle and inner ear are very fragile and sensitive to chemicals. The tympanic membrane (ear drum) usually protects the middle and inner ear structures from damage from anything entering the ear by forming a barrier. However, without veterinary equipment, it is impossible to be sure whether the tympanic membrane is intact, meaning that hydrogen peroxide could pass to the middle or inner ear and permanently damage the tissue, leading to pain and hearing loss.
How To Clean A Dog’s Ears
If your dog has an ear infection, it’s really important to take them to a veterinarian. There are lots of different bacteria and yeasts that can cause these types of infections, so it’s important to choose the right antibiotic, antifungal, or anti-inflammatory medication for the job. The veterinarian might take a swab of the wax or discharge from the ear and check for bacteria and yeast under the microscope, or they might send the swab away for bacterial culture to help them choose the right medication.
Alongside antibiotic, antifungal, or anti-inflammatory medications, the veterinarian may suggest you clean your dog’s ears, too. This should be done using an ear cleaner made specifically for dogs, and your veterinarian can give you advice on what to use. Once you have the ear-cleaning solution that you need, you should hold the bottle upside down with the nozzle in your dog’s ear canal before giving the bottle a good squeeze. Massaging around the base of the ear will help to mobilize any wax or debris, which you’ll then be able to dab away with cotton wool. Repeat this process a few times until the solution you dab away is clean.
Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide On Dog Wounds?
One of the other theoretical uses of hydrogen peroxide in dogs is to clean wounds. Again, the antiseptic properties would surely make it a great choice, right? Well, actually, no. The healing tissue involved in wounds is really fragile, and the cells are really easy to damage with even very dilute chemicals. Therefore, using hydrogen peroxide or other chemicals to clean your dog’s wound could actually slow the healing process by causing damage to the granulation bed.
How To Clean A Dog Wound
The best method of cleaning a dog’s wound, and the likely method your veterinarian will use, is by flushing it with saline solution or other types of fluid that contain the same levels of electrolytes as the tissue fluid. The movement of the fluid will help to mechanically remove any debris and bacteria, but take care; using too much force or pressure to ‘blast’ the wound with the fluid could damage the fragile cells. If you need to clean your dog’s wound but can’t get to the veterinary clinic, use dilute salt water (a teaspoon dissolved in a mug of water) and cotton wool or swabs to gently dab the wound rather than dragging it across the surface.
Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide To Make A Dog Vomit?
Hydrogen peroxide is sometimes used by vets to make dogs vomit, especially in the U.S. In the U.K., it’s more common for vets to use an injection called apomorphine. There have been many cases of dogs eating toxic substances where I have used apomorphine to induce vomiting, and as long as the dog is presented soon after ingesting the poison, the outcome is usually very positive. While hydrogen peroxide of a weak concentration (3% or less) is unlikely to cause damage, it might irritate your dog’s stomach, esophagus, or throat. It can also cause prolonged vomiting, meaning a higher risk of aspiration.
How To Make A Dog Vomit
If your dog eats or drinks something that they shouldn’t have, you should call your veterinarian immediately for advice. If they decide making your dog vomit is the best option, they will likely call you in for an appointment to do this as soon as possible. While it might be tempting to use hydrogen peroxide or soda crystals (not soap or washing powder) to try to make them vomit at home, it’s a far better idea to allow the veterinarian to induce emesis in a safe and controlled environment. You should never try your own methods to make your dog sick, as anything you give them could be equally or more damaging than what they consumed in the first place.
Protect Your Pup’s Health & Your Wallet
If your dog eats something toxic or ingests a foreign object, the resulting vet bill can be a tough financial strain for pet parents. Take a proactive step and consider pet insurance (we compare top pet insurance companies in our comparison) before you find yourself rushing to the vet. This way, if your pup consumes something harmful, your dog’s health and your finances will be protected.
Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe For Dogs?
Hydrogen peroxide can be used safely by veterinarians to make dogs vomit. However, in most situations, it’s best avoided, and it should never be used on fragile tissue like ears, eyes, or skin wounds. If ever you have been advised by a qualified veterinarian to use hydrogen peroxide on your dog, ensure you choose the right concentration and check this with the veterinarian first.
Always Check With Your Vet
It can be really tempting to do whatever you can to make your dog feel better at the moment, but it’s really important to check with your vet before using any home remedies or human health products on your dog, especially hydrogen peroxide. For some pet-safe cleaning solutions, see our reviews of the best dog wipes for cleaning their ears, paws and more.