Donny's Story
One January evening Donny the Dachshund became a little bit too interested in his squeaky toy and managed to remove and immediately swallow the squeaker. Fortunately, the owners witnessed this happening and immediately contacted Langford Vets out of hours service.
Donny was seen promptly by our vets and given that he was bright and well at the time induction of vomiting was recommended as a first line of action. Donny stayed under the care of vet and nurse while they administered a medication to make him sick. Fortunately, within 10 minutes he brought back the squeaker! Everyone was very glad that we avoided having to take Donny into surgery thanks to his owner’s quick response.
Parts of toys are common foreign objects that end up being ingested by dogs and may cause life threatening conditions called gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction. To minimise the chance of this happening always choose toys appropriate for your dog's size and chewing style, and supervise them to prevent choking or ingestion of small parts.
What should you do if your pet swallows something they shouldn’t?
Act quickly and contact your vet straight away. Do not wait for symptoms to develop, speak directly to the emergency vet for additional advice. Try to note:
- What your pet swallowed - a photo or accurate description of what it was, and how much, will help the vet assess the situation.
- Roughly when it happened
- Your pet's size and weight
- Whether they are showing signs such as vomiting, lethargy, retching or discomfort
Early veterinary treatment can often remove the object safely and may prevent the need for surgery.