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How to Tell if Your Pet Has Ingested a Foreign Body

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If you know or strongly suspect your pet ingested a foreign body that is causing illness, this is considered an ā€œORANGEā€ – or urgent case – on our Fast Track Triage system. We recommend having your pet see your family veterinarian or local animal emergency hospital within the next 12 hours. Please call ahead of your arrival so the veterinary team knows to expect you!

Note that a foreign body ingestion with no signs of illness is considered a ā€œYELLOWā€ – or semi-urgent case – on our Fast Track Triage system. We recommend having your pet evaluated by your family veterinarian or local animal emergency hospital within 24 hours. Call ahead of your arrival so the veterinary team knows to expect you, and if your pet begins to show signs of illness, call the team back to inform them of the status change.

  • If you know a foreign body was ingested, but you are not sure which pet ate it, seek veterinary care for both pets.Ā Ā 
  • If you know orĀ strongly suspect your pet ate a foreign body, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Contact a veterinary care team right away to see how soon you can bring your pet in.Ā Ā 

Dogs and cats are notoriously curious creatures, which can sometimes lead them into trouble. Many times, this curiosity leads them to eat items not intended for ingestion! Socks, underwear, wrappers, rubber bands, yarn, corn cobs, toys – you name it, there’s probably a pet who has eaten it! In the animal ER, we call these items ā€œforeign bodies,ā€ and while sometimes they will pass through a pet’s GI tract with no problem, they can also be a true emergency that requires immediate surgery. So whether your pet is new to this rebellious lifestyle or is a repeat offender, here’s what pet parents need to know about foreign body ingestions!

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Initial Signs at HomeĀ 

Sometimes, it’s very simple to know if your pet ate something they shouldn’tĀ haveĀ because youĀ sawĀ them swallow it. Other times, you may have to do some detective work at the crime scene. Clues often include:Ā 

  • Overturned garbage cansĀ 
  • Scattered materials around the house (whichĀ wereĀ NOT where you left them)
  • A basket of laundry that has been dug through
  • Open cabinets or drawers
  • ā€œBitsā€ of evidence left behind (such as stuffing from a toy, ripped wrappers or packaging, etc.)
  • Missing items (suchĀ as theĀ sockĀ thatĀ wasĀ justĀ on the floor a moment ago)Ā 

Symptoms in Your PetĀ 

If you didn’t witness your pet eating a foreign body and there’s no evidence around the house, you may instead notice your pet exhibiting the following symptoms:Ā 

  • Lip lickingĀ 
  • DroolingĀ 
  • HidingĀ 
  • Vomiting
  • Reduced appetite or no appetite
  • Abdominal pain (Groaning, restless, or vocalizes at touch)
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • The ā€œguiltyā€ lookĀ 
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X-ray of dog who ate seven squeaker toys & had them surgically removed.

What happens if my pet does swallow a foreign body?

Whether or not the item may cause a problem depends on multiple factors such as the size of the item, the texture/composition of the item, and the size of your pet.Ā When an item is swallowed, it needs to make its way down to the stomach and then into the small intestine.Ā The small intestine is a long, thin tube that is approximately the width of a pen forĀ a cat or small dog and the width of a Crayola marker for a large breed dog. Keep this information in mind:Ā even small items such as almonds can cause an obstruction in cats (We’ve seen it multiple times!). The item then goes into the colon, which is a much shorter and wider tube. It then moves through the rectum and passes out of the body.Ā 

In this digestion journey, the places that are most popular for foreign bodies to get stuck are at the sphincter where the stomach meets the small intestineĀ (called the pylorus) or somewhere within the long, thin small intestine.Ā Factors that determine if a foreign body will become obstructive include its size, bulkĀ (likeĀ stuffing,)Ā and firmnessĀ (a rock vs a soft toy).Ā Ā 

HowĀ do I know if my pet has an obstruction?Ā Ā 

Unfortunately, there is no easyĀ at-home testĀ to determineĀ ifĀ your pet has an obstructionĀ or not. Typically, the worse the symptoms and the longer the symptoms have been present,Ā the more likely an obstruction – but this isĀ notĀ an absolute ruleĀ of thumb! The best way to determine an obstruction is toĀ haveĀ a veterinary examinationĀ and imaging.Ā Usually,Ā x-rays are performed first, but sometimes ultrasound will be utilized.Ā 

It’sĀ important to know that most foreign objects are not easily seen onĀ x-rays. X-rays are pictures madeĀ of various shades of grey – andĀ many foreignĀ materialĀ (likeĀ fabric, wrappers,Ā andĀ food) will show up as the same shade of grey as the stomach or intestines themselves.Ā Items made of metal like coins, or items made of dense mineral, like rocks or boneĀ are more visibleĀ as theyĀ showĀ a very bright shade of grey/white.Ā So,Ā it may beĀ very easyĀ to see a foreign body – or it might be very tricky! Veterinarians will also useĀ clues such as the size/fullness of the stomach and size of the intestines toĀ evaluate forĀ aĀ possible obstruction.

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How is a foreign body treated?Ā 

If a foreign body obstruction is suspected,Ā treatment optionsĀ include:Ā 

  • Medical Management
    • Medical management means hydrating the pet, giving supportive care medications such as anti-nausea medications, withholding food, and rechecking x-rays or ultrasound to see if the object is passing. If it does pass,Ā the veterinary team will continue toĀ provideĀ medical management. It the object is not moving,Ā thenĀ we often recommend surgical removal.Ā 
  • Induce Vomiting
    • Sometimes, vomiting can be induced to remove the object. However, this can only be done if the object wasĀ swallowedĀ less than three hoursĀ priorĀ and the objectĀ won’tĀ damage theĀ esophagus on the way up. Items that can be easily vomited include soft and flexible fabric items such asĀ socks or bits of a blanket, objectsĀ that areĀ very smallĀ in relation to theĀ diameter of theĀ pet’s esophagus, and smooth-edged objects. It makes the veterinary teamĀ incredibly happyĀ when vomiting is successful!Ā If vomiting is not successful though, then medical management or surgery is discussed.Ā Ā 
  • Endoscopic RemovalĀ 
    • Occasionally, the object can be removed non-invasively via endoscopic retrieval. An endoscope is a long, thinĀ tube with a camera and a retrieval tool at the end. TheĀ tubeĀ is fed down theĀ pet’sĀ esophagus,Ā then,Ā theĀ camera is used to view the foreign bodyĀ and surroundings. Lastly,Ā whileĀ theĀ toolĀ is manipulated toĀ grab the item and pull it back up the esophagus and out of the mouth. However, if the object is large, very smoothĀ and slippery, or has alreadyĀ moved into the stomach,Ā it may not be possible to retrieve itĀ via endoscopy.Ā 
  • Emergency Surgery
    • In some cases, initial x-rays or ultrasound show a clear obstruction or object. In these cases, medical management may not beĀ a viableĀ option, and emergency surgery is recommended right away to remove the object.Ā 

What if I know something was eaten, but I don’t know which pet did it?Ā 

Whether the trash was rummaged through, yarnĀ went missing, or a shredded toy was lying in the hallway, often pet parents know – orĀ strongly suspect – thatĀ a petĀ ateĀ something theyĀ shouldn’tĀ have, but theyĀ aren’tĀ sure which pet did it.Ā In these situations, always bringĀ all ofĀ the petsĀ in! The veterinary care team can induce vomiting inĀ all ofĀ theĀ pets or do x-raysĀ toĀ determineĀ the culprit. Sometimes,Ā there is more than one guilty party!Ā Often, our ER team finds that the ā€œinnocentā€ pet isĀ oftenĀ the culprit rather than theĀ usual suspect.Ā Ā 

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While we hope youĀ don’tĀ find yourself in this situation, we do hope this information helps better prepare you for what to do ifĀ yourĀ pet doesĀ eat a foreign body. Remember, prevention is key!Ā This means keeping items out of your pet’s reach, securing trash cans with lids and locks, shuttingĀ doorsĀ or using baby gates toĀ restrict access, and never leaving pets unattended with an item that can be swallowed or easily rippedĀ up/chewed off.Ā We understand that pets can be sneaky and things happen, so always reach out to your family veterinarian or local animal emergency hospital toĀ determineĀ your pet’sĀ statusĀ and find out how soon your pet can be seen!Ā 

Melanie Neufeld, DVM, Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota

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