Gastrointestinal decontamination misconceptions

Missed out on Fetch Kansas City 2024? No worries—we’ve got you covered! For just $199, Fetch On-Demand gives you access to the best sessions, speakers, and over 30 CE credits. Learn when, where, and how it fits into your busy life. Whether you’re catching up between appointments, learning from the comfort of home, or squeezing in a quick session over coffee, Fetch On-Demand gives you the flexibility you need to earn CE credits on your terms.

Ready to jump in? Start exploring the best of Fetch Kansas City 2024 On-Demand now!

When a patient enters the clinic after eating something that they should not have, a common response is to inducing vomiting to get the toxic materials out of the patient. What if that was actually not always the best option for treating these emergency gastrointestinal patients? If this is not the best option, then what is?

During an interview with dvm360, discussing her Decontamination Methods of the Dog and Cat lecture, Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, disclosed certain misconceptions veterinary professionals have when treating an animal that has ingested something they should not have, including when to avoid inducing vomiting in a patient, why it can do more harm than good, and the true value of activated charcoal.

Below is a partial transcript

Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT: I think one of the common things is the perception that if an animal eats something that they shouldn't have, that [you] should [inducing vomiting for] them, or it's okay to go ahead and make them vomit to try to get that back up and I think that's kind of a normal thought, or a common thought that we have.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that shouldn't come back up through the esophagus because we may potentially cause more damage, and things that, even though they maybe isn't ideal for them to ingest, actually is less harmful for them to pass through, as opposed to trying to get them to vomit.