My Dog Ate a Cough Drop: Vet-Reviewed Facts & FAQ
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During cold months and the flu season, many people keep their cold-prevention essentials, such as cough drops, and hand sanitizer, nearby. Keeping these items in your home is convenient, but they may not be suitable to keep around if you have pets, especially dogs.
Dogs are curious by nature, and they have strong senses, which is why they sometimes are drawn to the scent of cough drops. If you leave cough drops around your home, your dog might be tempted to try them.
If your dog eats cough drops, you should remain calm and react promptly because ingesting them could harm your furry friend. Most of the time, the ingredients inside cough drops are toxic to pets and can cause mild to severe health damage.
Read on to learn more about cough drops, their effect on dogs after ingestion, and what to do if your dog eats a cough drop.
What Is a Cough Drop?
Cough Drops are candy-like medications people use to relieve coughing symptoms and soothe or cool their sore throats. They come in various flavors, and there are types suitable for adults and kids.
When you suck a cough drop, it dissolves in your mouth, and the medicine inside it relieves coughing. Since this is a medication, it contains various ingredients safe for humans, but these are not suitable for your canine.
Why Do Dogs Eat Cough Drops?
There’s no particular reason why dogs eat cough drops, although it’s probably because of their scent. The only thing you should know is that most dogs are drawn to cough drops and will try to taste them if they see or smell them. Because of that, you should never keep them around your pet.
Are Cough Drops Harmful to Dogs?
Cough drops are safe for human use, but if your dog ingests them, they could potentially cause harm. Cough drops contain ingredients that can cause toxicity in dogs, which can cause multiple health problems.
- Sugar — Although not toxic for dogs, high amounts of sugar can cause health issues.
- Menthol — Irritates your dog’s digestive system and causes various health problems.
- Eucalyptus oil — Can cause gastrointestinal problems.
All of the ingredients above can cause gastrointestinal problems in your dog. Also, it’s not uncommon for cough drops to also include one of the following ingredients:
- Benzocaine — This is a local anesthetic found in cough drops. It causes various problems, from mild gastrointestinal to severe issues that cause anemia. If your dog ingests cough drops in smaller amounts, it will likely experience mild symptoms, but consumption in large amounts can be very harmful to your dog.
- Xylitol —People often use this as a sweetener; it’s a common ingredient in cough drops and is toxic to dogs. Xylitol can cause potential liver injury and hypoglycemia.
What Are the Signs of Cough Drop Toxicity?
If your dog eats a small number of cough drops, it might not experience any signs of cough drop toxicity. However, ingestion in large amounts or by a small dog can cause multiple health problems due to so many harmful ingredients.
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Depression
- Weakness
- Numbness in throat
- Aspiration risks
- Fast breathing
- Hypothermia
- Face or jaw swelling
- Choking
- Coma
Occasionally, your dog might even experience bowel obstruction if it also consumes cough drop wrappers.
The signs may be less noticeable in healthy dogs and more severe in young puppies, old dogs, and dogs with previous health conditions.
What Should I Do if My Dog Eats Cough Drops?
One of the most important things you should do when your dog eats cough drops is to remain calm. Try to find the cough drop box and check the ingredients. If possible, also investigate the number of cough drops your dog ate and the time when the incident happened.
Some of the time, dogs may showcase signs of cough drop toxicity straight away, while sometimes, they may not occur for a couple of days. Because of that, it’s best to promptly contact your vet or the pet poison helpline to get advice on your next actions.
When your dog consumes cough drops, time is of the essence to prevent severe health problems. In case you notice any of the signs of cough drop toxicity or see your dog eating cough drops immediately take your furry friend to the vet.
How Do I Care for a Dog Suffering from Cough Drop Toxicity?
How you’ll care for a dog suffering from dox toxicity will depend on the advice and treatment you get from your vet. Depending on the severity of the cough drop toxicity, the vet can prescribe different medications, and your dog will probably have to rest for a while.
It’s also essential to practice prevention and keep cough drops away from your pet in the future. Keep them in a safe and hard-to-reach area, preferably in a medicine cabinet, to prevent your dog from eating them. Also, remember to throw away your trash if you’ve tossed any old cough drop packages or containers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eating How Many Cough Drops Will Cause Cough Drop Toxicity in Your Dog?
There’s no precise information on how many cough drops will cause cough drop toxicity in your dog because even one cough drop could potentially be harmful depending on the individual circumstances. Obviously, the more cough drops your dog eats, the higher the chances of your dog experiencing cough drop toxicity.
Will Menthol and Eucalyptus Oil in Cough Drops Hurt Dogs?
Menthol and eucalyptus oil are common ingredients in cough drops, which are harmful to your dog.
When your dog consumes menthol, it will typically showcase signs of menthol poisoning a couple of hours after ingestion. The signs of menthol poisoning include:
- Depression
- Nausea
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
When your dog consumes eucalyptus oil, it will typically showcase signs of eucalyptus poisoning, including:
- Drowsiness
- Confusion
- Coma
- Seizures
In Conclusion
A dog eating a cough drop can experience mild to severe health problems. Although this sounds scary, you should remain calm and help your dog as quickly as possible instead of being worried. Remember to check the number of cough drops that are missing and try to verify the timeframe when the incident happened. Reach out to your vet or pet-poison helpline as soon as possible and discuss the treatment options for your dog.
See Also:Â Dog Ate a Prenatal Vitamin? Our Vet Explains
Featured Image Credit: PHENPHAYOM, Shutterstock
