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The dog swallowed something. What to do if the dog ate socks

Dogs, especially puppies, explore this world by taking objects in their mouths, tasting them and chewing them. As a result, swallowed objects bring trouble to dogs. For example, a puppy may accidentally swallow a small object when a piece of a toy breaks off. Other dangerous objects are also a great temptation for dogs. Used tampons and even oil foil are proof that puppies can't resist rummaging through the bin. Jamming of foreign objects, leading to obstruction of the paths, becomes medical problem which costs money and can cost a pet a life.

Commonly Swallowed Items by Dogs

Dog insurance website petinsurance.com ranked the top 10 items retrieved by surgeons from digestive tract dogs. Here is the list:

Underwear

Tights

dog toys

corn on the cob

Ribbons/elastic bands for hair

Most of the things on this list carry the smell of the owner, but the whole list does not end there.

Whole toys and their pieces, jewelry, coins, hairpins, erasers, stationery clips are very often swallowed by dogs. Yarn, thread (with and without needles), wire, fishhooks and fishing lines, Christmas tree tinsel are very dangerous. You should carefully monitor the items used for baking: threads, sticks, everything that is saturated with the taste and aroma of meat. For puppies who have already learned to break with their teeth, wooden objects and bones have proven the danger of swallowing them. Even an excess of rawhide chew toys can get stuck in the innards. Puppies can even eat rocks.

First aid for swallowing foreign objects

If the item has been swallowed within the last two hours, it is most likely still in the stomach. If the object is not sharp, feed the dog and then induce vomiting. Food envelops the swallowed object and protects the insides. In addition, it is easier to induce vomiting on a full stomach. If the dog does not vomit, you should contact the veterinarian.

If a sharp object has been swallowed, contact your veterinarian immediately. Trying to induce vomiting will cause even more damage.

After two hours, the object will be in the intestines, so vomiting will not help. Most swallowed objects are small enough to pass through digestive system. They come out with excrement and are not harmful to health. Feed your dog a large dish to make it easier to pass rocks and other heavy objects, and to protect the internal organs. Food also stimulates the release of digestive juices, which can soften paper wads and chewy treats, so these items come out easier and more freely. In most cases, if the swallowed object is small enough, it passes harmlessly through the digestive tract and ends its journey in the grass. Watch the dog's feces, if necessary, examine the feces with a stick in search of a swallowed object.

Exceptions to the above rule are swallowed metal objects such as coins or batteries. In this case, DO NOT WAIT, visit your veterinarian immediately. Stomach acids interact with these metal objects and cause zinc and lead poisoning. Wire - one more dangerous object, requires professional help.

If you see that your pet has swallowed something that should not be passed, and this item does not come out with stools, or the puppy vomits without result, the dog does not eat, looks or behaves upset, coughs non-stop, immediately contact for help. Any object, even a tiny one, can get stuck and block the path.

Symptoms of ingestion of foreign objects by dogs

Diagnosis may be based on seeing the puppy swallow something or on symptoms. This is usually confirmed with an x-ray or with an endoscope to determine the exact location and size of the object, and sometimes to identify the object itself. Specific symptoms depend on the location of the stuck object and its type.

An object stuck in the stomach and other parts of the digestive tract causes vomiting, which can repeat for days or even weeks if the object has partially blocked the paths and food can pass around it.

Complete blockage of paths is a reason to immediately seek help. Its symptoms are bloated, painful stomach with sudden, incessant vomiting. The dog refuses food, and vomits from any liquid.

Symptoms of zinc poisoning include pale gums, bloody urine, jaundice - yellow tint the whites of the eyes or inside ears - on a par with vomiting, diarrhea and refusal of food.

Lead poisoning can cause teeth grinding, seizures and hyperactivity, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

Copper poisoning has similar symptoms plus bloating.

Objects such as wire (including strings) may remain in the mouth between the teeth, the rest is swallowed.

Line and thread warning! Never pull on the visible end - be it between your teeth or coming out of anus. Such items often have hooks at the end, needles that are caught on the tissues of the digestive tract. Trying to pull these objects out will further injure the insides, and the dog will die.

The internal organs move food using muscle contractions called peristalsis, which move throughout the digestive tract (much like an earthworm) to help push the contents up the anus.

But when a foreign object such as a fishing line gets stuck in the teeth or anus, the intestines literally turn into folds, like fabric on a thread, which turns into something like an accordion. The result is sudden severe vomiting and diarrhea, rapid dehydration. Your veterinarian should evaluate any possible variant blockade to determine the best course of treatment. Often the operation the only way remove obstruction.

Veterinary treatment

If the obstruction is not removed promptly, the damage may become irreparable. Sharp objects can cut or puncture the intestines, and obstruction can cut off blood flow to organs and cause tissue death. Peritonitis - the end result in any case, most often leads to death.

Once the veterinarian locates the item, the item is removed. Sometimes this can be done with an endoscope inserted through the dog's pharynx or rectum, sometimes only by surgery. Any internal damage veterinarian removes. If surgery can correct the problem before peritonitis develops, most dogs make a full recovery. If the tissue dies, the damaged portions of the bowel can be removed and the living portions of the bowel sutured back; these animals tend to have a good prognosis.

Most puppies outgrow the need for indiscriminate chewing. The best course of action for dog owners is to prevent ingestion of dangerous foreign objects. choose safe toys, which cannot be chewed into small pieces, keep an eye on the dog during the game. Anything that a baby can put in his mouth, a puppy can take. Keep your dog safe, think like him so you don't get caught off guard when your dog eats the rapids.

Edited by Margaret Jones Davis

foreign body in a dog, in most cases, these are tennis balls, small toys, buttons, paper or foil, plastic bags, rags. In this situation, there is a high risk of developing complete or partial blockage of the stomach, volvulus of the digestive tube, and intestinal obstruction. If the objects are sharp, then development is possible internal bleeding, wall perforations internal organs. When foreign objects get into respiratory system the pet may die from asphyxia.

Dog symptoms: the animal makes frequent movements with its jaws, eat profuse salivation, gagging or full-fledged vomiting, or food flows out without active movements from the side abdominals, the dog refuses food, it has a strong, if complete blockage, then it does not consume water at all, if the intestines are damaged by sharp objects, diarrhea mixed with blood is observed, the act of defecation is difficult, has difficulty breathing, cyanosis of the mucous membranes develops, soreness in the abdomen, apathy and lethargy.

Laxatives, antiemetics are strictly prohibited. Do not put a sick pet and cleansing enemas, which can lead to the advancement of a sharp foreign object through the intestinal tube and perforation of internal organs.

The owner must provide home complete rest. It is not recommended to independently pull out swallowed objects from the throat, as well as sticking out of the rectum. It is strictly forbidden to feed and water the animal.

In a specialized institution will hold full inspection, an ultrasound and X-ray examination will be prescribed. In most cases, X-ray diagnostics is used by pre-soldering barium salts (more often this is done with kefir). The contrast method allows you to determine the presence and localization of foreign objects that are invisible on a conventional x-ray.

After finding the object, the veterinarian proceeds to remove the foreign body from the dog. The operation can be carried out in several ways. The simplest and most efficient is gastroscope application equipped with operational functions. With its help, a veterinary surgeon performs defragmentation of a foreign body and its removal. The disadvantage of the method is high price.

Removing chicken bones with an endoscope

If the picture shows fluid accumulation in abdominal cavity not detected, there is no perforation of the esophagus, and no more than 3 days have passed since the ingestion of the object, intra-abdominal gastrotomy. The esophagus is accessed through the stomach. During the operation, the introduction of a gastric tube is used. After extraction, stitches are placed on the stomach, fluid is removed from the abdominal cavity, then stitches are placed on the peritoneum. When perforation of the esophagus is detected, its walls are first sutured.

If the foreign body is in the alimentary tube for more than 4 days, life-saving perforation of the esophagus is performed intrathoracic esophagotomy. Operative access to the esophagus is carried out with right side in the region of the 7th rib. After removal foreign object vacuum drainage is installed for a period of at least 5 days.

Remove the foreign body from the intestines laparotomy. In some cases, a veterinary surgeon resorts to resection of a section of the intestinal tube if its necrosis has occurred. In small pets, the intestine is sutured with a one-story suture, with surgical intervention in large individuals, a two-story suture is used. Postoperative care is carried out according to the generally accepted surgical technique in compliance with the diet and antibiotic therapy.

If a foreign body is found in the throat, the veterinarian can remove it with long surgical tweezers or forceps.

Read more in our article on helping an animal, options for extracting a foreign object by a veterinarian.

Read in this article

Symptoms when a dog has swallowed a foreign body

One of the common emergencies in the life of a four-legged pet owner is the ingestion of an inedible object. A foreign body in a dog in most cases is tennis balls, small toys, buttons, paper or foil, plastic bags, rags.

The danger of such a situation lies in the fact that the animal has a high risk of developing complete or partial obstruction (blockage) of the stomach, volvulus of the digestive tube, and intestinal obstruction. If the object is sharp, then the development of internal bleeding, perforation of the walls of internal organs is possible. If foreign objects enter the respiratory system, the pet may die from asphyxiation. Knowing the symptoms of a foreign body in a dog will help the owner recognize the danger.

Veterinary specialists, based on many years of practice, believe that it is possible to suspect the ingestion of an inedible object by a pet by the following signs:

The owner should know that if a foreign body is in the stomach of a dog, then clinical manifestations obstruction may occur some time after ingestion.

What to do if swallowed

The owner, suspecting that a four-legged friend swallowed an inedible object, first of all, should know that it is strictly forbidden to give any laxatives, antiemetics. Do not put a sick pet and cleansing enemas, which can lead to the promotion of a sharp foreign object through the intestinal tube and perforation of internal organs.

Veterinary specialists, when asked by the owner what to do if the dog has swallowed a foreign body, first of all recommend giving the animal complete rest. It is not recommended to independently pull out swallowed objects from the throat, as well as sticking out of the rectum. Foreign bodies can be sharp or have notches, which will lead to injury to the mucous membrane of the internal organs.

Animal diagnostics

In a specialized institution, a sick pet will undergo a complete clinical examination. If the veterinarian suspects that the animal has swallowed an inedible object, an ultrasound and x-ray examination will be ordered.

In the event that there is a possibility that the pet has swallowed radiopaque substances (metal objects, sharp bones), it is easy to detect them on a conventional x-ray. The procedure is carried out, as a rule, in a lateral projection in order to detect the level of fluid in the peritoneum.

Foreign body located in the stomach

In most cases, in veterinary practice, X-ray diagnostics are used by pre-soldering barium salts (more often this is done with kefir). This contrast method allows you to determine the presence and localization of foreign objects that are not visible on a conventional x-ray.

Foreign body (a toy rubber ball) is located in the esophagus

The differential diagnosis is carried out in relation to poisoning, acute viral infection, intussusception of the intestine, not associated with the penetration of a foreign body, etc.

Removal and operation of a foreign body

Having found with the help of a foreign object and determined its localization, the veterinarian immediately proceeds to remove the foreign body from the dog. The urgency of surgery is dictated by the high risk of perforation of the walls of the esophagus, stomach or intestines, followed by the development of bleeding and peritonitis.

When an object unnatural for the body is found in respiratory tract urgent operation is dictated by saving the pet from asphyxia.

If in the stomach, intestines, esophagus

In veterinary practice, an operation to remove a foreign body in a dog is carried out by several methods. The simplest and most effective is the use of a gastroscope equipped with operational functions. With its help, a veterinary surgeon performs defragmentation of a foreign body and its removal. The disadvantage of this method is its high cost. High-tech equipment is available only in metropolitan areas.

If no accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity is detected on the radiographic image, there is no perforation of the esophagus, and no more than 3 days have passed since the ingestion of the object, the veterinarian performs an intra-abdominal gastrotomy.

The esophagus is accessed through the stomach. During the operation, the introduction of a gastric tube into the esophagus is used. After removing the foreign body from the dog's esophagus, the veterinary surgeon stitches the stomach, removes fluid from the abdomen, and then stitches the peritoneum. When perforation of the esophagus is detected, its walls are first sutured.

In the event that the owner did not apply immediately, the foreign body is in the digestive tube for more than 4 days, with perforation of the esophagus, as a rule, intrathoracic esophagotomy is performed to save the life of the animal. Operative access to the esophagus is carried out on the right side in the region of the 7th rib. After removing the foreign object, a vacuum drainage is installed for a period of at least 5 days.

The dog underwent surgery to remove part of the intestine. The dog swallowed a sharp bone, resulting in intestinal perforation and peritonitis.

If a foreign body is found in the intestines of a dog, then it is removed by laparotomy. In some cases, a veterinary surgeon resorts to resection of a section of the intestinal tube if its necrosis has occurred. In small pets, the intestine is sutured with a one-story suture, with surgical intervention in large individuals, a two-story suture is used.

Postoperative care for a four-legged friend is carried out according to the generally accepted surgical technique with mandatory diet and antibiotic therapy.

For information on how the bones are removed from the stomach of a dog, see this video:

If in the throat, larynx, trachea

If a foreign body is found in the throat of a dog, the veterinarian can remove it with long surgical tweezers or forceps. For this procedure, the animal's jaws are fixed with a special yawn, which provides access to the larynx. Such a procedure is possible with a shallow occurrence of a foreign object. After extraction, the mouth is irrigated with an antiseptic solution. For this purpose, a solution of furacilin, potassium permanganate is used.

The owner should be aware that untimely help in a situation where a foreign body in the trachea of a dog can lead to such serious complications like, pleurisy, pneumothorax. Typically, a veterinarian will perform endoscopic removal of the foreign object. The operation requires general anesthesia.

In some cases, the surgeon resorts to a tracheotomy. Surgical intervention with the use of a tracheotubus (a special tool that is inserted into the dissected trachea), it is most effective when a foreign object is located in the lower parts of the bronchial tube.

Removal of a foreign object (rubber ball) with a forceps

If it is impossible to extract the swallowed object with the help of an endoscope and tracheotomy, the veterinary surgeon performs the operation, making operational access through the chest.

Prevention

To prevent such a nuisance in a pet as swallowing or inhaling an inedible object, the following tips from veterinary specialists and experienced dog breeders will help the owner:

When walking, an animal prone to picking up inedible objects should be taken on a leash.
It is necessary to exclude bones from the diet, which are often the cause of perforation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
Toys for pet activities should only be selected in a safe size made of solid rubber.
The area where the dog is kept must be clean. The owner needs to regularly monitor that small items (toys, sewing supplies, parts of designers and puzzles) are not in the reach of a curious pet.

restless four-legged friends often become victims of their curiosity. Swallowing an inedible object is fraught with serious complications - from the development of aspiration bronchopneumonia to internal bleeding and the development of peritonitis.

Diagnosis is based on clinical examination, palpation and radiographic examination, including the use of a contrast agent. Treatment in most cases is surgical. The arsenal of veterinary surgeons includes various techniques access to a foreign object depending on its location.

Useful video

For symptoms, diagnosis, and options for removing foreign bodies in dogs, see this video:

Hello! Jack Russell Terrier puppy is 6 months old. He swallowed something (presumably a piece of "bite" bought in a specialized store), already 5 days ago. Coughs, but not intensively. Eats and drinks without visible inconvenience. Occasionally (3-4 times in the evening) short, as it were, asmatic attacks. Apparently there is no pain, cheerful, vaccinated. Yesterday the peephole began to flow. Quite intensively. We live abroad. There is no opportunity to visit a doctor.
How dangerous is what is happening? Can the body take care of itself? The stuck object sits clearly in the trachea. It is not visible from the throat. They caused the puppy to sneeze, it didn’t help ... What should I do? Help me please!
Katerina

It is difficult to advise you on any specific way to get your puppy out of trouble without knowing what the “bite” is actually made of, a piece of which your puppy swallowed. As far as I know, "bites" can be made from both natural (tendon) and artificial (plastic) materials.

If the “bite” is natural, then perhaps you are worrying in vain and this state of the puppy will pass by itself.

If it doesn't pass for a long time, then before contacting the veterinarian, try to fill him (in the edge of the mouth) with vaseline oil. However, I find it difficult to say exactly how much this liquid should be poured into the puppy. Still, vaseline oil is a laxative. Try to start with no more than one tablespoon.

Also, when swallowing a hard object, for example, glass, rubber, wire, you can give him castor oil with milk and bread to eat.

You can clear your stomach with following methods. Prepare a solution of table salt at the rate of one teaspoon per 500 ml of warm water. The ready-made solution is given to the dog in the same way as liquid medicine (infusion over the cheek) until vomiting occurs.

The following can be used as improvised emetics:

1. Salt- two teaspoons in a glass of warm water. Pour by force through the mouth with a syringe.

2. Mustard - one tablespoon in a glass of warm water.

Watch carefully when the puppy will vomit. If you notice a foreign object already in the throat, quickly try to grab it with your hands and pull it out.

If none of the above helps, you still need to contact your veterinarian. Contact veterinary clinic, in which gastroscopy is performed, it is possible that the foreign body can be removed using a flexible endoscope through the mouth.

Many foreign bodies, even very large ones, can pass freely through the intestines in dogs.

Your puppy may need x-rays and surgery. Especially if you are not quite sure what he swallowed.

The puppy puts everything in his mouth. Make sure that there is no small items, needles, pens, children's cars, etc. Another problem when keeping a puppy is the objects surrounding it.

Bones for a dog are a delicacy, but not all of them are as safe for the animal as they seem. Many owners believe that such a "delicacy" for their pets is the best food, but this is fundamentally wrong. The consequences that occur after such nutrition are rather deplorable, so much so that they lead to death.

What bones should not be given to a dog

It is forbidden to give chicken bones, in any form, neither boiled, nor smoked, nor raw, due to their excessive fragility for the animal's teeth.

Do not give your dog chicken bones.

When a pet bites through them, the bones break into many particles that affect: the palate, gums, esophagus, internal organs of the digestive tract. Crushing of chicken bones inside - obstruction, intussusception of the intestine.

Even more tangible harm inflicts a fish skeleton and its smaller branches. Dog teeth are quite large and not designed to process such "food". The presence of small fish particles inside the intestine - blockage, punctures, injuries to the wall of the mucous membrane of the organ.

Harm

As for harm to dogs, small fish fragments pierce the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines, injure the entire digestive tract .
Among other things, more small fragments can create a blockage in the lumens of the abdominal organs . Such a blockage can be eliminated only through surgery or even cost the animal its life.

Fish bones can damage the stomach lining.

Conditionally safe bones

The bones of beef or pork are considered conditionally safe.

True, not all parts of the skeleton. You can give the dog large moss to gnaw. A pet will not be able to bite such a block into small fragments, but it will sharpen its teeth and enjoy it. The nutritional value of such food is very doubtful, but dogs are creatures from the family of predators and they need to constantly prove their worth in this regard. But it should be remembered that exceptions also happen and are rare, but such mosls can also split, so you should be careful.

Big bones are safer for the dog.

sugar bones

But you can also occasionally give your pet the so-called "sugar bones", on which there are few veins or meat leftovers.

You can give your dog bones that have meat on them.

Such parts of the skeleton practically cannot be crushed, which makes them as safe as possible and can be used as a treat for a dog. Nutritional value, however, is also questionable, but for pleasure pet can be used. In addition, the "squabbling" of the bones acts as a kind of prevention of tartar and plaque.

How to tell if a dog has a bone stuck in its throat

If the owner has not personally seen the eating of dangerous food, there are a number of signs by which problems can be suspected. Main symptoms:

Nausea is the main syndrome of bone stuck in the throat.

Some of the listed symptoms are general, and some indicate the direct presence of a foreign object in a certain place.

Symptoms

The presence of fragments in the esophagus will "show themselves" immediately after eating.
The dog begins to lick, opens its mouth wide.
The use of even small amounts of food or liquid leads to nausea and vomiting.
When trying to eat something, drink, the dog chokes, coughs.
The vomit contains the remnants of undigested food, twisted into bundles.
Against this background, dehydration, weight loss begins.
If the bone fragments are in the stomach, vomiting begins after two hours after eating. This usually happens when the pet's diet is constantly supplemented with bones, which subsequently leads to the formation of conglomerates that clog the lumen.
The most severe condition is when foreign fragments are localized in the intestine.
The dog's stomach swells strongly, flatulence begins.
A severe pain syndrome is registered.

When trying to eat, the dog develops a cough.

What to do (first aid)?

You can help the pet on your own only if the foreign body is stuck between the teeth, and it is visible. To do this, you can use tweezers and a flashlight. However, if the fragments have gone further and have already injured the mucous membranes, only surgical intervention can help the dog.

Never make your dog vomit . With vomiting spasms, the contents are brought out, but at the same time it can damage all the mucous membranes that come across on the way. Then the pet is guaranteed to die. Possible help with a slight blockage, the dog will be fed bread, boiled cold rice in large volumes.
A large amount of fibrous food can envelop the mucous membranes, subsequently gently removing sharp fragments from the body. You can mix bread and rice, add your favorite food and feed it to your dog. Over the next few days, all symptoms will disappear. If such a measure does not help and the dog continues to behave suspiciously, the patient should be urgently taken to the clinic.
The presence of fragments and damage in the stomach involves the removal of the damaged part of the stomach, followed by restorative therapy. Often, bone fragments provoke intestinal obstruction, intussusception. In such cases, only surgery can help. In some cases, you can do with the endoscopic method of removing a foreign body from the stomach cavity. But with intestinal invagination, this method will not bring the desired effect, a partial resection may be a likely method of assistance.
If there is the slightest suspicion of a suspected pathology, in no case should one hesitate . Rehabilitation treatment involves prescribing antibiotics to prevent possible complications and development of infection. Symptomatic therapy is used - painkillers, antispasmodics, drugs that reduce body hyperthermia.

If the jam is shallow, then you can use tweezers.

Prevention

Prevention is careful attention to pets. Develop a diet according to the doctor's recommendations. Do not allow the consumption of "random" food, limit walking in dangerous places that are located near garbage containers or landfills. The key to a pet's health is care and attention, a timely response to the animal's suspicious behavior.

The curiosity of our four-legged explorers knows no bounds. They are ready to try on the tooth not only new delicacies, but also everything that comes their way. Is it any wonder that at one point they swallow some, be it a stick, paper or a piece of rubber toy. Fortunately, in most cases, these things pass through the digestive tract without problems, surprising the owners at the exit with the quirkiness of the pet's culinary preferences. However, sometimes luck changes the animal, and the foreign body is firmly stuck in the stomach or intestines.

Without a timely response, such a situation can cost the health, and even the life of your four-legged pet, which is why it is so important to recognize the danger in time and seek help.

How to know if a dog has eaten a foreign body

Even if you didn’t notice how the inedible object disappeared into the dog’s mouth, you should be alerted by signs indicating a possible obstruction:

Vomit. Involuntary eruption of ingested food or water occurs immediately after eating or drinking. However, if it is not the stomach that is clogged, but the intestines, it can take from a few minutes to a couple of hours from the moment of the meal. The main thing that should alert the owner is the regularity of vomiting. That is, everything that the dog tries to swallow, through a short time returns back.
Diarrhea. Liquid stool often contain a large number of mucus or traces of blood. If the dog swallowed a sharp object that injured the walls of the stomach or intestines, the stool may be black - a sign of heavy internal bleeding.
Soreness of the abdomen. ABOUT painful sensations says the pose of the animal - hunched back and tense, toned belly. The dog does not allow himself to be touched, whines when touched to the peritoneum.
Lack of appetite. The dog is not only the usual food, but also a treat. Most often, the animal does not even approach the bowl, or, becoming interested for a second, sniffs and turns away.
Strain during defecation. The dog sits down several times, straining, groans and groans, sometimes squeals during the act of defecation. As a rule, when the gastrointestinal tract is blocked by a foreign body, only small portions of feces come out of the animal. This, by the way, is another of the main signs of obstruction.
Weakness. Loss of fluid and electrolytes important for life (potassium, sodium) leads to dehydration of the body and, as a result, weakness and depression. You can check how dehydrated your pet's body is with a simple test: grab the dog's skin with two fingers and pull it as far as possible. If the skin does not even out within a few seconds, fluid loss has reached a critical point.
Change in behavior. Lack of interest in life, depression and unwillingness to communicate speak of feeling unwell dogs. In addition, manifestations of aggression are possible when trying to feel the stomach or examine the pet's mouth.
Cough. If the foreign body is lodged in the throat or airway, the dog may try to get rid of the object. In this case, there may be increased salivation and convulsive attempts to swallow.

The insidiousness of this condition is that the symptoms of obstruction do not appear immediately. For several days or even weeks after swallowing the object, the dog may feel well, and the above signs may appear intermittently or not at all. However, then the condition of the animal deteriorates sharply.

Medical diagnostics

At the first sign of a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract, we recommend that you immediately consult a doctor. Remember that such a problem is very difficult to diagnose, as they say, "by eye" - only clinical researches can confirm or refute the diagnosis.

Palpation of the abdominal cavity. If the foreign body is quite large and dense, such as a rubber ball, it is quite possible to feel it through the walls of the stomach. However, even if nothing is found on palpation, this is not a reason to exhale with relief. Great amount objects such as a rag, bag or thread cannot be felt by hand.
X-ray. During the study, stones, metal and rubber objects are clearly visible. Or, if the foreign body is not detected, the doctor may notice changes in the internal organs that are characteristic of the presence of a foreign body.
radiographic study. To track the progress of the object through the stomach and intestines, a contrast agent (most often barium) is used, which is given to the dog inside.
Endoscopy. Today it is considered the most best method diagnosis of a foreign body.
Laboratory research. To rule out other causes of your pet's discomfort, the doctor may prescribe a blood test for a biochemical analysis.

What to do?

The main problem in this situation is the critical amount of time allotted for the choice of therapy and the actual treatment. A foreign body compresses vital vessels, leading to tissue necrosis and the development of peritonitis. That is why it is so important for owners to listen to the recommendations of the veterinarian and follow his instructions, because we are talking about the life of a pet.

If the item is stuck shallowly and, you can try to get it with your hand, tweezers or a medical forceps. To avoid injury, a special latch is inserted into the animal's mouth to prevent jaw compression.

If ingestion of a foreign body is noticed immediately, the best course of action is to induce the dog to vomit with a 1.5% hydrogen peroxide solution. Peroxide, entering the gastrointestinal tract, expands, irritating the walls of the stomach. As a general rule, if vomiting is induced within 2 hours of ingestion, the item will come out without causing much harm.

Another effective way induce vomiting - pour a tablespoon of salt on the root of the dog's tongue (the dose is given for large dog). Irritation of the receptors leads to an involuntary gag reflex. Just do not forget to offer the dog water later - salt and subsequent vomiting causes intense thirst.

To envelop a foreign body and facilitate its passage through the gastrointestinal tract, vaseline oil is used, which is poured into the dog's mouth. Due to the fact that this substance is not absorbed by the walls of the stomach, it helps to reduce the muscles of the intestine and smoother passage of the object through the digestive tract.

If a sharp object, such as a needle, gets into the stomach, it is recommended to moisten a small piece of cotton wool with vaseline oil and feed it to the pet. Cotton fibers wrap around the tip and the object, without causing harm, will come out with the feces.

If the foreign body does not come out on its own, the doctor may recommend surgical intervention. During the operation, the veterinarian opens the intestinal wall and removes the object. In case of detection of necrotic areas, a resection (excision) of a part of the stomach or intestines is performed.

After the end of the operation, the animal must be under to prevent the opening of internal bleeding or the development of peritonitis.

What Not to Do

Sometimes, wanting to help a pet, the owners, unwittingly, significantly worsen its condition by performing unnecessary or dangerous actions. What should not be done under any circumstances?

Pull the object yourself from the throat or anus. Trying to get a protruding object, you can further injure the walls of the stomach or larynx. Especially dangerous is the removal of hard or sharp objects, as well as bodies with a jagged surface. It is no less dangerous to pull out various threads or ropes. In the process of passing through the gastrointestinal tract, they can get confused or, clinging to something, lead to ruptures of the walls of the stomach or intestines.
Give antiemetics. Medicinal substances that block vomiting do not improve the situation in any way, but only deprive the animal of the chance to get rid of the foreign body on its own and lubricate clinical picture diseases.
Do an enema. Firstly, the enema irritates the intestinal wall, and secondly, if a foreign body has led to a blockage, water, not finding a way out, can lead to rupture of internal organs and peritonitis.
Give food or water. Any products that enter the gastrointestinal tract cause new bouts of vomiting, which leads to rapid dehydration of the animal.

The following items are of particular danger to our pets:

Batteries. The acid contained in the batteries can enter the dog's stomach, causing chemical burn And .
Magnets. Small magnetic balls swallowed by an animal are unevenly distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and, through the walls of the stomach or intestines, literally stick to each other, clamping living tissues together. Necrosis and foci of inflammation form very quickly at the junction.
Cotton swabs. Absorbing water and increasing in size, tampons, firstly, accelerate dehydration, and secondly, tightly clog the lumen, practically not moving due to the fleecy cotton structure.
Threads and rubber bands. long thread, despite its subtlety, can cause big trouble. The rings of the gastrointestinal tract are literally strung on it and gather into an accordion, also causing necrosis and rupture of intestinal sections. The elastic band, having contracted, can, like a fishing line, cut fabrics.
Cat litter. Any liquid that gets on the filler granules causes them to stick together into a lump. Once in the dog's stomach, the filler increases several times in size and causes obstruction.

How to keep your dog safe

To avoid the horrors described above, simply do not let your dog eat inedible or dangerous items:

If the pet is prone to, keep it on a walk on a leash or wear a muzzle that covers its mouth.
Do not give him with sharp edges, but it is better to exclude boiled bones from the diet altogether.
Offer for leisure large sizes that cannot be swallowed. The safest are toys made of solid rubber, from which it is impossible to bite off a piece.
Let your pet chew on dried treats only in your presence and take small pieces in a timely manner.
At home, keep all small and unsafe objects out of sight. Hide all kinds of magnetic constructors and puzzles away from sin.

And, most importantly, devote as much time as possible to the dog, teach her not to pick up anything on the street or in the apartment, and if she takes something in her mouth, spit it out on command. So you are guaranteed to save your own nerves, as well as the life and health of your beloved four-legged friend.