Dog Swallowed Cough Drops

Jennifer coates dvm.
Dog swallowed cough drops. So if the dog ingested a cough drop expect eucalyptus oil poisoning. In this case the cough drops are not directly toxic. If the cough drop your dog ate was sweetened with sugar then one single cough drop s worth of menthol will probably not cause anything other than mild gastrointestinal upset in your dog if that. Most cough drops contain sugar menthol eucalyptus oil colors and flavors all ingredients that may cause gastrointestinal upset.
In addition cough drops may contain benzocaine which can cause digestive upset in your dog including diarrhea. I would recommend giving her 2 3 slices of plain white bread to help relax her stomach. According to the animal poison control center apcc the first thing you should do if your pet ingests cough drops is check the ingredients list. Both are commonly found in cough drops and can impact your dog s health.
Halls cough drops are not good for your dog as they contain many toxic or unhealthy ingredients. If your dog swallowed something toxic or potentially toxic such as antifreeze chocolate medications or marijuana in any form contact your veterinarian or aspca poison control 888 426 4435 immediately if your dog is having trouble breathing contact your veterinarian right away. Based on her small size however she may develop gi signs such as nausea vomiting or diarrhea. Reviewed and updated for accuracy on october 7 2019 by dr.
It starts with vomiting but quickly transitions into depression seizures and worse problems. Cough drops can also pose a risk to your dog as they pose a choking hazard especially for smaller dogs. Most have xylitol in them which is very dangerous to your dog. Lindsey edwards mvb bsc ivca veterinarian most cough drops do not contain anything which would present a problem if a single lozenge was swallowed by a dog.
Any small hard object such as a cough drop is a choking risk for dogs of all ages. If your dog consumed a cough drop that contained benzocaine it s important to talk to your vet right away. If your dog eats a halls cough drop immediately take your dog to the veterinarian because they will most likely develop eucalyptus poisoning. You can also offer 10 mg of pepcid famotidine.
As for toxic effects your main concerns are the ingredients xylitol and menthol. Most cough drops contain sugar menthol eucalyptus oil colors and flavor all of which can cause gastrointestinal upset.