My Dog Ate Halls Cough Drop What Should I Do?
My Dog Ate Halls Cough Drop What Should I Do?
You’re stuck home in bed with a horrible cold and are taking Halls cough drops to help your throat and ease the coughing. We’re sorry you’re sick and hope you feel much better soon!
When we’re sick, it’s easy to become careless about where our used tissues land, or where our medication is sitting. Sometimes these things may even fall on the floor! Right where your dog can get at them. When it comes to cough drops, that can be a problem.
Halls Cough Drops
Halls cough drops really do a great job at easing cold and flu symptoms. They also work well to help ease congestion in the sinuses and nasal passages.
These cough drops have been around for decades! They were first made back in the 1930s by the Halls Brothers company in the UK. Halls cough drops comes in a wide variety of flavors including:
- Black cherry (sugar free)
- Black currant
- Cherry
- Citrus blend
- Colors
- Honey-lemon
- Mentho-lyptus (menthol and eucalyptus)
- And many others
The ingredients in each flavor of Halls may be different, but can include Vitamin C, colorings, menthol, eucalyptus and more. Some contain sugar, while others are sugar free.
Are Cough Ingredients Dangerous for Dogs?
Yes, some ingredients can be dangerous to dogs including:
Xylitol: which is an artificial sweetener. It can cause hypoglycemia and liver damage in dogs.
Benzocaine: is a medication that reduces mouth and throat pain. It works to numb tissues. It can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs. If dogs eat this substance in large amounts, they can develop methemoglobinemia, which is a form of anemia that can cause depression, weakness, rapid breathing, discoloration of the skin & mucus membranes, jaundice, vomiting, hypothermia, or even swelling of the jaw and face.
Obstruction: this means that a cough drop could become lodged in a dog’s throat or esophagus, which can lead to asphyxiation.
One more danger is if the dog swallows a wrapped cough drop. The wrapper can become lodged anywhere in the digestive system, which can lead to very serious medical issues such as an intestinal blockage.
If your dog has eaten one or more cough drops, then first check the ingredients on the packaging (if possible). The vet will need this information. Then call the vet and get their advice, which will probably be to get your fur baby to their office ASAP.
When you’re taking cough drops, try to be careful and keep track of where they are. If they accidentally land on the floor, then pick the up right away. And if they’re in another area where your dog can access them, then move them to a new, safer place.
