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Pet Article
DOGS AT PLAY
The big dog came into the kitchen, reached up and just ate the wash rag! Why.... no one
knows, but for some reason, unknown to us humans dogs occasionally eat objects that are not
food. Unfortunately when things like this happen, should the object swallowed cause a
blockage of the intestine it can turn out to be a life threatening medical emergency.
Dogs are more likely than cats to swallow foreign objects, and they are not
always selective. Some things that a dog might decide to swallow range from
plastic action figures, to batteries, to wash rags. Cats usually prefer things
like string, tinsel, and Easter grass.
The most common symptom of a blockage caused by a foreign object is vomiting.
Instead of vomiting once or twice, the dog or cat may vomit up to ten times in a day.
If the animal vomits every time it drinks water, this could indicate an intestinal blockage.
Unfortunately this kind of problem may not be straightforward. Sometimes the object eaten can
cause only a partial blockage, this means that some food and water will still continue to
move through the intestinal system. The object may also move but get stuck periodically,
which means that the signs may not be consistent and vomiting may not occur every time
the animal eats or drinks.
The main way to diagnose an obstruction is by taking radiographs (X-rays) of the
animal's abdomen. Veterinarians will not only look for the object itself, but also for
abnormal areas of gas in the intestine. Sometimes the object will not show up
well on the radiograph, but if abnormal gas patterns are observed the
veterinarian may give the animal barium, which is like a "white dye" that is
given orally and coats everything in the stomach and intestine. An object coated
with barium will appear white in radiographs.
Once a foreign object obstruction has been diagnosed, the foreign object may be
removed by surgery or with an endoscope, an instrument with a tiny camera and
grasping tool inserted into the body through the dog or cats mouth without surgery.
Sometimes a foreign object can damage the intestine, so a section of the intestine has to
be removed. Sharp objects can perforate the intestine, causing further
complications, and something like string can cause the intestine to bunch up, similar
to an accordion. Should this occur, friction can cause the string to cut into the
intestine, almost like a saw, making many small perforations that must be repaired by the
surgeon. If the intestine has been perforated, fluid from the intestine may have
leaked into the abdomen, which in turn can cause a serious infection called septic
peritonitis. All of these possibilities make recovery time for your pet that has just
had a foreign object removed quite variable.
The most important thing a pet owner can do to prevent this problem is to make
sure that things that could be swallowed are kept out of reach of pets.
People go to great lengths to "child proof" their homes. It would save pet owners a lot of
grief and money if they could 'pet proof" their homes as well.
If your pet starts vomiting, look around and think about what is in your house
and what the pet could have eaten. An obstruction of the digestive system does not occur
every time an animal eats a foreign object, but when a blockage does occur, it can be a
medical emergency that requires immediate attention. If you think that your pet may have
eaten something that has caused an obstruction, contact your local veterinarian immediately!
Mark Woodcock
1 Flea Control
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