#1 Bad Taste

Why pets eat inedible objects

Foreign body ingestion (i.e., consuming an inappropriate or inedible item) is a common behavior among dogs and—to a lesser extent—cats. While some objects may pass through your pet’s digestive system on their own without incident, or cause only mild gastrointestinal distress, other items may cause life-threatening stomach or intestinal obstruction.

To protect your dog or cat from experiencing an intestinal blockage, pay attention to their habits and predilections, keep hazardous items out of their reach, and recognize common obstruction signs. If your dog or cat does ingest a foreign body, act quickly to seek veterinary care from our Dr. Treat team, and ensure the best possible outcome for your four-legged foodie.

“Any object can potentially become a gastrointestinal (GI) foreign body, but variations in your pet’s anatomy and digestive ability stymie your chances of predicting which misadventure might become a life-threatening emergency.”

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#2 Killer appetite

Why pets eat inedible objects

Each pet has their own motive—which we may never understand—for consuming an inappropriate object, which is a condition known as pica. This condition’s prevention involves understanding your pet’s personality and identifying their potential risk factors. Consider some of these common pica causes:

Age


Puppies and kittens explore the world through biting, chewing, and tasting, which creates numerous opportunities to ingest nonfood objects. Senior pets’ cognitive dysfunction (i.e., senility) and sensory decline may cause them to confuse edible and inedible items.

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Food scraps


Food scraps in the trash, such as meaty bones, emit appetizing aromas that some pets cannot resist.

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Breed


Although no scientific justification exists, breeds such as the Labrador retriever appear to have a pica predilection.

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Nutritional deficiencies


Some pets consume inappropriate items (e.g., dirt, rocks, wood) to satisfy their craving for specific minerals that are lacking in their diet.

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Boredom and anxiety


Emotionally distressed pets may demonstrate destructive behavior as an outlet to relieve stress or satisfy compulsive tendencies. Such pets may intentionally or inadvertently ingest a foreign object during chewing.

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#3 Ordering off the menu

The most common foreign bodies pets consume

Any object can potentially become a gastrointestinal (GI) foreign body, but variations in your pet’s anatomy and digestive ability stymie your chances of predicting which misadventure might become a life-threatening emergency. The following foreign bodies most often require surgical removal:

• Meat bones (e.g, turkey, ham, steak)
• Rawhide chews
• Food wrappers
• Rocks and sticks
• Trash (e.g., foil, plastic)String, twine, and ribbon (i.e., linear foreign bodies)
• Corncobs
• Fish hooks
• Toys (e.g., rope tug toys, vinyl or plastic squeaky toys, children’s figurines, balls)
• Undergarments, including socks and underwear
• Hair accessories
• Household repair items (e.g., drywall, carpet, hardware)

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#4 Royal rumble

What happens to your pet after foreign body ingestion

Although the term blockage may seem like a simple issue—much like a cork in a bottle—foreign body ingestion can cause your pet a host of dangerous, painful, and life-threatening complications. Foreign body obstructions can occur anywhere along your pet’s upper or lower GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and junctions between these parts of the digestive system.

Gastric (i.e., stomach) foreign bodies irritate the stomach lining, causing nausea and potentially toxic consequences. Impacted foreign material in the intestines can compress the surrounding vessels and interrupt blood flow, depriving oxygen to the surrounding intestines and resulting in tissue death (i.e., necrosis). Linear foreign bodies, such as string or ribbon, can cause the intestines to contract and fold—accordion-like—around the foreign body or telescope in on themselves, thereby cutting off these body parts’ own blood supply. Sharp objects, such as bone fragments and sticks, can perforate (i.e. puncture) the stomach or intestines, causing fluid to leak and contaminate the abdominal cavity. Without emergency surgery, these extremely painful conditions are fatal.

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#5 Warning labels

Foreign body ingestion signs in pets

Pets may not show illness signs for days or weeks after ingesting a foreign object. Once signs appear, however, emergency veterinary treatment is necessary to prevent permanent damage or death. Your pet’s foreign body ingestion signs may include:

LethargyLoss of appetiteVomiting or attempting to vomit (i.e., dry heaving)DiarrheaStraining to defecateAbdominal tenderness, rigidity, or guarding (i.e., pets may growl or bite when handled)

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#6 ‘X’ marks the spot

Diagnosing foreign body obstruction in pets

If your veterinarian suspects your pet has a foreign body obstruction, they will question you and perform necessary diagnostics. To confirm a foreign object diagnosis, your veterinary may do the following:

Learn the patient’s history


Pets who have previously ingested a foreign body tend to be repeat offenders. Your veterinarian will also ask you about your pet’s recent behavior.

Perform a physical examination


Your veterinarian will examine your pet for dehydration, anemia, pain, fever, and shock-related signs, which could indicate internal injury.

Obtain imaging


X-rays and ultrasound are quick and efficient ways to identify a foreign object and confirm its location within your pet’s GI tract.

Perform blood work and urinalysis


Diagnostics can rule out other causes for your pet’s signs, and reveal any foreign body-related complications such as infection, electrolyte imbalance, abnormal kidney or liver values, or ischemia (i.e., obstructed blood flow).

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#7 Out with it

Foreign body obstruction treatment for pets

Treatment depends on a foreign body’s location in your pet’s digestive system, and their clinical signs. Mildly affected pets with a foreign body in the distal (i.e., end) colon may be treated supportively and monitored until the object passes on its own. Critically ill pets who have gastric or intestinal obstructions are immediately prepped for surgery. If the object is small and located in the lower esophagus or the stomach, your veterinarian may perform an endoscopy (i.e., a procedure through which a small camera scope with an attachment apprehends and retrieves small items via the esophagus). However, only through extensive abdominal exploratory surgery can your veterinarian retrieve large or complex foreign material, intestinal blockages, and those causing obvious internal damage. After surgery, pets are typically hospitalized for 24 to 72 hours to receive continuous monitoring, pain control, and supportive care.

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#8 Leave it

Preventing your pet from ingesting a foreign body

Although foreign body surgery can be lifesaving, repeated operations to retrieve foreign bodies can cause intra-abdominal scarring, making each successive surgery more difficult for the pet and the veterinarian. While our Dr. Treat team recognizes that accidents happen, ensure you take abundant precautions to prevent your pet from ingesting a foreign body—especially if they have already had foreign body removal surgery. Follow these recommendations to minimize your pet’s risk for experiencing a foreign body obstruction:

• Never give your pet meat bones (raw or cooked)
• Monitor your pet during chewing or toy play
• Supervise your pet outdoors
• Put away laundry
• Replace pet toys that show wear and tear
• Empty trash cans frequently, and use locking trash bins
• Consider soft muzzle use when your pet is at social events or cannot be observed
• Consult with your Dr. Treat veterinarian about your pet’s pica, separation anxiety, compulsion, or destructive behavior.

Final notes

If your pet is experiencing foreign body obstruction signs or appears to be not behaving normally, act quickly—contact our clinic or connect with our virtual team on the Dr. Treat One™ app. If your pet’s emergency occurs outside of our usual business hours, we will refer you to the nearest emergency veterinary facility that can provide your pet prompt and professional care.