My pet swallowed a ribbon and is vomiting. Can I pull it out?

Induction of vomiting is only helpful if it is within a couple hours or if it is in the stomach and hasn't passed. At this time, I would not recommend induction of vomiting. I would take Rocket in to the vet for x-rays and/or ultrasound which will help determine if there is something still in the stomach or provide a baseline to be used for comparison should he start to feel sick. Watch him closely over the next few days for lethargy, decreased appetite, gagging, or vomiting, which would warrant immediate vet attention.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tatum! The vomiting could be from residual irritation from the ribbon or there could be more ribbon that is causing an obstruction. It is also possible it is completely unrelated to the ribbon in general: intestinal parasites, hair ball, ate something else gross (plant, etc), pancreatitis, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. You can continue to watch him but if he continues to vomit or stops eating that is an emergency and he needs to see a vet for an exam and an X-ray to check for a blockage. I wish you the best!

If the string came out very easily without having to pull hard, it may be OK. If you had to put a lot of tension when pulling it, there is a chance the string could have cut the esophagus. Watch closely for vomiting (especially with blood), gagging, difficulty swallowing or decreased appetite. Also watch for black, tarry stools. This is a sign of bleeding in the esophagus, stomach or small intestines. If any of these symptoms are seen, I would take her to a veterinarian immediately. They may want to do blood work, x-rays, or even use a scope to evaluate the esophagus for injuries.

It can take up to 72 hours for signs of an obstruction to occur, and if she does get a linear foreign body from eating this ribbon, she will need surgery to remove it. Waiting until morning to see the vet will be too late to induce vomiting in Shadow, there is only a window of two hours in order to do this. I would take her into an ER vet or find a vet on call now to see her to induce vomiting with a shot.

Poor Nuala! If you think she may have swallowed some string from her toy, I would be very concerned that she might have an intestinal blockage - vomiting, not eating, acting lethargic, and not having regular bowel movements are all common signs of this problem. If she does have a blockage, this is a life-threatening emergency that will require immediate surgery to remove the obstruction, so I would recommend taking her to an emergency clinic tonight to be seen. The veterinarian there can examine her and take some x-rays to help determine if there is a blockage present, and will get her into surgery to remove it if a problem is found.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Zula! If she is extremely lethargic and is vomiting a lot she should go to the ER today. If she seems ok and the vomiting is minimal she should she your Vet first thing in the morning in case she needs surgery. I wish you the best of luck!

Once he threw up the balloon and the entire length of string, he should be fine. The offending foreign body has left his gastrointestinal system. However you should really check your house for any more items like that including string, as a linear foreign body (string causing an intestinal blockage) is a serious problem and would need surgery to remove. So since your kitty regurgitated the entire string and balloon he should be okay.