Open the dogs mouth wide, make him/her swallow a handful of salt.

Within a few minutes the dog will vomit, and you have your property back




*Mod note: See below*

This is a 4-pound dog. If by any chance the dog did not vomit immediately, she would be salt-poisoned by that much salt in that tiny body.


http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bsc/vec/2005/00000015/A00101s1/art00008

QUOTE: A 5-year-old intact Doberman bitch was admitted to the intensive care unit (SIAMU® of the Lyon Veterinary School with a history of seizures and coma. The owner had administered a large quantity of cooking salt to induce vomiting following ingestion of a small amount of chocolate. Upon admission, the dog was comatose: there was no voluntary movement, areflective mydriasis, lack of vigilance. Tachycardia, seizures and vomiting were present. Diagnostic procedures confirmed the salt intoxication (Na: 200 mEq/l, Cl: 180 mEq/l) and revealed a metabolic acidosis (pH: 7.18; pCO2: 39 mmHg; HCO3-:14.3 mmol/L). END QUOTE of OPENING PARAGRAPH

One of the agent that poisons dogs when they eat Play-Doh and homemade flour-clay ornaments is salt (along with the dough swelling).

Given the size of the dog, I might hold off....

But avoiding this method because of this one internet article is hardly sensable in my opinion. It's always worked with my dogs, no comas to date.

 Quote: ted efthymiadis

Given the size of the dog, I might hold off....

But avoiding this method because of this one internet article is hardly sensable in my opinion. It's always worked with my dogs, no comas to date.

Of course I have heard of using it, but had read that it was a last resort and that it was to be used in small amounts (being toxic itself in large amounts). A “handful of salt” does not sound like a good idea to me even for an average-size dog. But if you have something authoritative that I should see, please post it. I’ve been wrong a million times before and I will be wrong a million times again. (I do read several sources before I post something like I posted above, though. )

In the Merck Manual Home Edition and the 5-Minute Veterinary Consult, salt is not included at all in the lists of suggested emetics. These are the most recent (2007 and 2004, respectively).

Here are some places where it is mentioned:

http://www.familypetservices.com/pressroom1.asp?nk=27
Homemade play dough – this simple recipe that includes flour, water and salt can be deadly to dogs. Puppies and dogs will eat the high salt content dough and then the salt will start to cause swelling and fluid retention in the brain. With enough salt toxicity the dog will experience seizures followed by a coma and death. In mild cases the dog may recover but may have ongoing nervous disorders or seizures.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/hazards.htm
QUOTE: When a large amount of salt is ingested, the sodium diffuses throughout the body. When the sodium reaches the brain and central nervous system, water builds up and tissues swell. As the brain swells, pressure builds up resulting in severe neurological disorders. As the pressure builds, it causes seizures, coma and death. There is no antidote for salt toxicity. In some mild cases, where less salt is ingested, the dog may survive, however, if the dog eats enough, it is fatal. END PARTIAL QUOTE

http://pet-nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/toxic_foodrelated_items_and_dogs
Salt
Salt, when ingested in large amounts or on a regular basis, can cause kidney failure and imbalances in a dog’s electrolyte levels. Notably, small amounts of salt can be safely utilized to induce vomiting in the event that other items used to induce vomiting – like hydrogen peroxide – are not available.


http://www.ehow.com/how_4549472_make-dog-vomit-after-ingesting.html
Fill a teaspoon with ordinary table salt to induce vomiting. The chemicals in the salt irritate the digestive tract, causing the body to react by vomiting. Contents that have entered the stomach or the digestive tract prior to ingesting salt will be expelled through the vomiting process. .... Do not perform this process more than once; too much salt can be toxic in itself. If your dog does not vomit, and you feel that his health is in danger due to what he has ingested, seek a veterinarian’s advice immediately.

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/how-to-induce-vomiting-emesis-in-dogs/page1.aspx
Salt Water and Mustard Seed Water:
.... it is not recommended to give salt water or mustard seed water for any reason to dogs unless specifically recommended by your veterinarian.

http://www.dogster.com/answers/question/how_do_you_induce_vomiting_in_dogs_that_may_have_swallowed_something-4268
In a desperate pinch, a teaspoon of table salt will also have the correct effect.

My take: It's a useful thing in small amounts for a nothing-else-available case when the dog has ingested a poison that should be vomited.

But not a handful of salt for a four-pound dog (or an average-size dog) who has not ingested a poison.

P.S. I'm glad you posted, because in spite of all this, I have re-thought and will now have a little salt in my car's emergency kit. I would not want to need it desperately and not have it.

Wow. Good warning about the playdough.

What exactly do they mean by a "large amount"?

They seem to say a teaspoon is fine, so at what point does it stop being in the therapeutic range and becomes dangerous? Several tablespoons? Half a cup?

 Quote: yuko blum

Wow. Good warning about the playdough.

What exactly do they mean by a "large amount"?

They seem to say a teaspoon is fine, so at what point does it stop being in the therapeutic range and becomes dangerous? Several tablespoons? Half a cup?

Like onions, avocado, and grapes/raisins, the effect on the individual dog can be either (1) unpredictable, or (2) not immediately apparent.

I wish I could find that, but I found it only in relation to the kind of salt that's sprinkled on the icy road.

You're a good looker-upper. Go! Get info!

 Quote: Yuko Blum

Wow. Good warning about the playdough. ...

Yeah, because I used to think it was mainly the swelling properties until I really started reading about salt toxicity.

I love the smell of that commercial stuff (Play-Doh). It smells delicious. It IS a huge disappointment to taste.

But I guess not to dogs.

 Quote: yuko blum

at what point does it stop being in the therapeutic range and becomes dangerous? Several tablespoons?

Are we talking about salt still, or play dough? Though legions of 2nd graders may beg to differ, I didn't think play dough had any "therapeutic" qualities...

And I had no idea salt could be so toxic in "large amounts"... or that you could use it to induce vomiting. I've used the hydrogen peroxide trick, with success, and after reading all that, I think I'll stick to HP in my emergency first aide kit.

... Love this forum!

~Natalya

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

It smells delicious. It IS a huge disappointment to taste.

So true!!...

 Quote: natalya zahn

Are we talking about salt still, or play dough? Though legions of 2nd graders may beg to differ, I didn't think play dough had any "therapeutic" qualities...

LOL, yes salt. I meant therapeutic as in useful to induce vomiting when needed
But I'm with you, I've always relied on the water/hydrogen peroxide mix when needed. Never even heard of the salt trick, not that I'd want to try it, considering the potential risks. Thanks for posting that Connie!

 Quote: connie sutherland

I love the smell of that commercial stuff (Play-Doh). It smells delicious. It IS a huge disappointment to taste.

.....

Ok I'm just going to assume that you discovered this through second hand reports from children

Edit: same with you Natalya. I'd rather not picture you guys sampling various playdoughs after being delighted by how "delicious" they smell