Swallowing Foreign Objects in Dogs and Cats

Dogs and cats often swallow indigestible objects. This is often the case with young animals, but foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract are also not uncommon in adult animals.

Foreign bodies can get stuck in various areas of the gastrointestinal tract, starting from the pharynx (e.g. rawhide bones), in the esophagus (e.g. rib bones), in the stomach (e.g. toys) or in the various sections of the intestine.

Foreign bodies usually lead to excessive salivation, Vomiting, Intestinal obstruction, and refusal to eat. Fabric can also cause Intestinal obstruction.

Thread-like foreign bodies are particularly dangerous, as they can be observed more often in cats, as they like to play with threads. The intestinal movements transport the thread further and the intestine can become “threaded”. If a piece of thread is visible at the anus, it must not be pulled under any circumstances. This can lead to the intestine being cut in several places and intestinal contents can get into the abdominal cavity. An immediate operation is then absolutely necessary.

It is not uncommon to see cats suddenly Gagging repeatedly. A thorough examination of the oral cavity may reveal that a thread is stuck to the base of the tongue and the remaining parts of the thread have been swallowed.

What can you do? If you have observed that an indigestible object has been swallowed by your dog or cat, take your animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible. There are medications for both dogs and cats that can help induce Vomiting. With a little support, the foreign body can be removed in this way without causing any damage. If this is not successful, in many cases the foreign body, as it is probably still in the stomach, can be removed endoscopically without an operation becoming necessary.

In the case of small foreign bodies, you may be able to wait until the foreign body leaves your animal’s body naturally, provided that there are no symptoms such as Gagging, Vomiting, loss of appetite or fatigue. The emptying of the stomach takes 6 to 8 hours. Significantly longer times can also occur. The entire gastrointestinal passage takes about 24 hours, also 36 hours and in rare cases 2 days are possible.

If the first signs of discomfort appear in your animal, you should not wait to see if your animal recovers. A foreign body in the esophagus or an Intestinal obstruction is an absolute emergency.