 and hydrocarbon distillates such as gasoline, which can be inhaled into the lungs.
Your best bet, if you have no hydrogen peroxide, is to call your local poison control center for pets. They can walk you through other options that you may have available to you.
But please consult a vet as soon as you can.
Under some circumstances, you can do more harm than good when inducing vomiting the wrong way or at the wrong time.
And if you give too much, you can also create additional problems.
Your dogs health isn’t something you should be experimenting with.
How to Clean Dog Ears with Hydrogen Peroxide
The jury is still out on whether or not hydrogen peroxide is good for treating ear infections and for keeping ears clean.
But, for the most part, vets advise going with a solution specially designed for cleaning ears, rather than using a homemade hydrogen peroxide ear cleaner.
If your dog has an ear problem, you need to take him to the vet. It might not be caused by what you think, and they will have the best solutions.
Some vets will tell you that hydrogen peroxide’s antibacterial qualities can help remove bacteria and it is relatively safe.
But because the solution quickly degrades to water after bubbling, it can also provide a moist environment inside the ear that allows bad bacteria to flourish.
Hydrogen peroxide may soften, but does not dissolve waxes and oils. Also, it does not kill infections as well as alcohol does.
Additionally, using too much or using hydrogen peroxide inappropriately can cause irritation to a dog’s skin.
Hydrogen peroxide for dogs does not kill dog ear mites.
Your best bet is to go to your vet and get medication specifically designed to treat your dog for ear mites.
If it looks like your dog may have an infection, you should see a vet for advice on what to use, and to make sure the ear infection isn’t a sign of something more serious.
How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove Your Dog’s Tear Stains
You may find that some people use hydrogen peroxide to remove tear stains on their dog’s faces.
That’s because one of the potential causes of these stains is infection caused by bacteria.
But hydrogen peroxide is dangerous for the eyes, and can cause medical problems for dogs who accidentally get some in their eyes.
So this is another area where the medical literature isn’t quite in agreement.
On top of the antibacterial aspects, hydrogen peroxide’s bleaching properties may work well to lighten darker colors caused by staining, when dried on the muzzle.
But some vets say it’s still too dangerous, given the possible consequences to your dog’s eye.
In sufficient concentrations, the oxygen decomposition process can cause burns to the conjunctiva, a tissue that lines the insides of eyelids and coats the eye.
Don’t try to use hydrogen peroxide for dogs eyes, or in their eye area, ever. Go to your veterinarian for help.
Also, you should visit the vet to make sure there isn’t an underlying health issue that is causing the staining.
Using Hydrogen Peroxide to De-Skunk Your Dog
Many recipes for removing skunk odor from your dog include hydrogen peroxide, along with other ingredients such as baking soda and liquid soap.
We can’t find any research that says this is a bad idea, and there’s much anecdotal evidence that a mixture of these ingredients does, indeed, work to neutralize bad odors.
Chemist Paul Krebaum is credited with creating an effective remedy, published in Chemical & Engineering News from October 1993 and tested on “MythBusters,” that includes one quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda, and 1 tsp. of liquid soap.
But you still need to be careful to keep the hydrogen peroxide out of your dog’s eyes, nose and mouth.
Remember, too, that hydrogen peroxide can bleach hair and clothing, so be careful.
So, is hydrogen peroxide safe for dogs?
Who knew that such a ubiquitous substance would be so controversial, when it comes to dog care?
The issue is this – hydrogen peroxide for dogs can, under certain circumstances, be helpful. But it isn’t necessarily the safest antibacterial choice.
This is especial