Health Issues


Strange Things Animals Eat



Aaron C. Rainer, D.V.M., M.P.H.
East Lake Veterinary Clinic
Killeen, TX
http://www.eastlakevet.org
I thought it would be fitting to discuss a topic that has been in the news recently. You might remember hearing about a snake that ate an electric blanket and had to undergo emergency surgery to remove it several weeks ago. Well, emergency surgery on a pet that has eaten something that it shouldn’t have is fairly common and can be life threatening if prompt action is not taken.

Our pets will eat the most bizarre things. I have to admit, eating an electric blanket is very strange; however, I have seen some pretty strange things myself. I have seen dogs eat light bulbs, gym socks, tuna cans, steak knives, fishing hooks, razor blades, Christmas ornaments, and the list goes on and on. If it can physically fit in their mouth, consider it fair game for your pet to inhale. Just this morning, I awoke to find that the grease that I had left on the kitchen counter to cool after cooking breakfast had been lapped up by my curious kitten. We’ll have to watch her the next few days. Speaking of cats, the most common object for a cat to ingest mistakenly is a string, usually sewing string or yarn, and is referred to sometimes as a linear foreign body. The string can actually catch onto the base of a cat’s tongue and become stuck. Often times, this creates a bunching effect of the intestines.

Dog Ate Toy - Before Dog Toy - After Pet Ate Marble - Before Marble - After


Steak Knife
Common signs of foreign body ingestion and obstruction include: projectile vomiting, regurgitation, and decreased appetite. If you do not know whether or not your dog ate something inappropriate, there are ways of diagnosing foreign bodies that can include, but are not limited to, x rays and/or sonogram/ultrasound.

The mainstay of treatment of an animal that is obstructed due to foreign body ingestion is removal by any means. This can be done in several ways that can include using a long scope, called an endoscope, which travels from the mouth, down the esophagus into the stomach and intestines. There are special instruments that can grasp the foreign body and remove it. The other, and most common, method of removal is via abdominal exploratory surgery to remove the offending object.



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