What Should I Do If My Dog Has Swallowed Something They Shouldn’t Have?

1. What Should I Do If My Dog Has Swallowed Something They Shouldn’t Have? www.petfleas.co.uk

2. What Should I Do If My Dog Has Swallowed Something They Shouldn’t Have? Warning Signs Your Dog Has Swallowed a Foreign Object How can you tell that your dog has swallowed something that they shouldn’t? Here are a few of the warning signs: Dogs are curious creatures who love to chew and eat anything that they can find. This means that they can occasionally swallow things that they shouldn’t. If your dog swallows something small, it will usually just pass through their system without causing them any harm. However, sometimes dogs can swallow larger and more dangerous objects, which can cause serious damage to their bodies quite quickly. Your dog has lost their appetite or their appetite is reduced Your dog is vomiting Your dog is showing signs of abdominal discomfort Your dog has diarrhoea or an absence of faeces Your dog is reluctant to move or is crying out If your dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms, this is a sign that you should call your vet and seek their advice. What Things do Dogs Swallow? Dogs have been known to swallow a huge range of foreign objects, including bones, stones, fruit stones, small toys, corn on the cob, baby’s dummies, coins, rubber ducks, rubber bands, hair clips, fridge magnets and much more. These objects, depending on their size and shape, can cause a physical obstruction in your dog’s digestive system. This usually occurs at the outflow of the stomach or the small intestine. If the foreign object is chewed up, the sharp edges of the object can cut the inside of the intestine – which can cause a dangerous infection in the abdomen that is called peritonitis. To a dog, everything looks like food or a fun new chew toy. How can you prevent your dog from swallowing a dangerous item and what can you do if they have eaten something they shouldn’t? Here are some tips to keep in mind that will help you to protect the health of your curious canine friend. www.petfleas.co.uk

3. It is also very dangerous for your pet to eat pants, socks, thread, needles and other such materials. They can cause a physical obstruction if they get balled up in the stomach. Also, if your dog swallows thread it can cause the small intestine to bunch up and then the thread can cut through the intestine, like cheese wire cutting through cheese. Needless to say, this is a very dangerous situation for your dog and they might need surgery to remove the item. The most important thing to do is to phone your local vet for advice. Whether your pet has swallowed poison or a foreign object, they need treatment right away or it could be fatal. What Will Your Vet Do? First of all, your vet will perform a full physical examination of your dog and they will ask you a lot of questions so that they can get all of the information they need about your dog. They will likely ask you if you know what your dog has swallowed and when they have swallowed it. Your vet might also want to know questions about your dog’s general health. What to Do If you think that your dog has swallowed something, it is important to act quickly. If you can see the thread, string or cord handing from their mouth or bottom, don’t pull on it or cut it! This can seriously damage the inner organs and make it more difficult to remove, so just leave it. Then, your vet might perform x-rays, blood tests, ultrasound and other tests. Your dog might need a general anaesthetic so that the vet can operate and remove the object. They will also examine the health of the intestine – in some situations it might be necessary to remove the damaged intestine altogether. www.petfleas.co.uk

4. How to Prevent This Your dog swallowing a foreign body can be very dangerous to their health, so the best thing to do would be to prevent it where possible. It is impossible to stop your dog putting objects in their mouth and eating things they should not, but you can keep an eye on what they are chewing on and keep anything dangerous out of reach. Make sure that cooked bones, fruit stones, corn on the cob and other such food waste are disposed of in a secure and safe way so that your dog cannot find and get hold of them. Beeston Animal Health Ltd., Whitchurch Road, Beeston Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9NJ Following these tips will help to protect your dog from the danger of swallowing a foreign object and requiring expensive medical treatment. www.petfleas.co.uk