In the world of veterinary medicine, there exists an unsung hero. This unsung hero is my sister, Dr. Arianna Hendry. She’s a dedicated veterinarian in Portsmouth, NH who has witnessed an astonishing variety of items that find their way into dogs’ digestive systems. You won’t believe the amount of things dogs eat that they shouldn’t! Here is Dr. Arianna with one of her patients at Lafayette Animal Hospital.
Gross Things Dogs Eat- What Happens Then They Do This?
The consequences of foreign objects in a dog’s stomach can be severe. These items can obstruct the digestive system, leading to severe discomfort, vomiting, and loss of appetite. In some cases, they may cause life-threatening conditions like intestinal blockages, perforations, or internal bleeding. Rapid diagnosis and surgery become the only options to save the lives of these furry patients.
Sadly, my sister has had to open up many dogs’ stomachs because of things they’ve eaten. Many times she can make them throw up the item, like she had to with her dog, Artemus.
This is Artemus. He ate a 50 count of chocolate munchkins and my sister had to force him to throw it all up. Thank goodness it worked because those munchkins were very toxic and he could have possibly died.
A Preventable Predicament
While Dr. Arianna skillfully retrieves these objects from dogs’ stomachs, she often wonders why such situations arise in the first place. The truth is, most of these surgeries could be avoided if pet owners were vigilant about keeping these items out of their pets’ reach. A simple act of picking up after ourselves can make all the difference. Make sure your floors are free of small objects, including baby spoons, toys, rocks, and laundry.
Educating Pet Owners
To combat this preventable situation, my sister goes above and beyond her duties as a veterinarian. She dedicates time to educating pet owners about the hidden dangers that may exist within their homes. She emphasizes the importance of proper supervision and creating pet-friendly environments that minimize the risk of foreign object ingestion. By raising awareness and encouraging responsible pet ownership, she hopes to significantly reduce the number of surgeries needed to remove these objects.
Here Are The Gross Things That Dogs Eat That My sister Has To Remove
1. Socks
Ever wonder where that other sock went? Maybe your dog ate it! Socks are one of the most common items my sister has to surgically remove from dogs’ stomachs. Always remember to marry your sock and put them away before the dog gets to them.
Every family has a pile of lost or odd Socks. Maybe they’re not so lost after all. Maybe your dog ate them.
2. Underwear
Just when you thought you were going to go out in that cute little lacy thing… turns out, your dog got to it first! Underwear is common for dogs to play with and then swallow.
It doesn’t seem like something a dog would eat, but sadly they do! Keep your dirty or clean undies off the floor!
4. Rope Toys
Rope toys are fun to play with, but sometimes your dog will chew on it so much that they end up swallowing part, or all of the rope. This items becomes difficult to take out of the stomach once inside.
Rope toys are bad for doggies and their tummies. They chew and chew and chew until some of it gets in their stomachs.
5. Pacifiers
Baby pacifiers are small and they look too much very similar to rubber dog toys. It’s no wonder why dogs mistake them for fun, edible treats!
These pacifiers look like toys, which can be very harmful to dogs. If you have a baby, pick these up off the floor.
Ayla Brown is the host of “country Mornings with Ayla Brown” from 5:30-9:00am. You can read the rest of her blogs here.
