Pet Digest

Pawmergency: Activated Charcoal — Does It Actually Work? Pawmergency: Activated Charcoal — Does It Actually Work? When your dog eats something they shouldn’t, panic sets in. You’re on Google, searching for answers, and one phrase pops up everywhere: “Give activated charcoal!” But what is activated charcoal, does it really work the way people think, and how does it compare to what doctors use in human medicine? Let’s dig in. 🐾 🧫 What Is Activated Charcoal? Activated charcoal isn’t the same as the charcoal you use for barbecues. It’s a fine, black powder made from carbon-rich materials such as coconut shells or wood that have been “activated” through high heat treatment. This activation process increases its surface area dramatically — allowing it to bind with certain toxins or chemicals inside the digestive tract ( Merck Veterinary Manual ). Each gram of activated charcoal can have hundreds of square meters of surface area, making it function like a molecular sp...