My cat swallowed a toy bell. What are the risks and next steps?

I certainly hope that Jolly didn't eat the ball! It can take up to a couple of days for signs to show that she may have eaten the ball. These signs include vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, lethargy, and constipation. Those indicate an obstruction, which can occur if the ball is too big to pass through the intestines. Because it is a small ball ,there is a chance Jolly can defecate it, and it can take up to 72 hours for that to happen. I would monitor her for the next 72 hours, and if you see any signs of obstruction that I mentioned above, then you need to find a vet to see her right away, even if it means traveling with her. That's because an obstruction is fatal without treatment. Hopefully though, it will pass without problem :-)

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about ACe. He's a big dog and that size toy may pass without problem. I'd just keep an eye on him for now. If you see vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or a loss of appetite, have him seen by a vet right away. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You need to monitor your Tinker Bell over the next 24-48hrs. Do not give her any laxative and do not change her diet. The symptoms of gastrointestinal foreign body include vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, lack of stools. If you see any of these symptoms in the next 48hrs, please take Tinker Bell to your vets as an emergency. If after 48hrs she is well and will have not developed any of these symptoms, it will mean that she is out of danger.

Hi there! It is very difficult to tell whether something will pass through the intestinal tract or if it will get stuck. Some big things will just miraculously pass, and some small things will manage to get stuck! That being said, 2 months is a very young age, and a tiny kitten is far more likely to get something stuck. There are a couple of things you an do at this point. One would be to bulk your boy's diet just a little bit to help add some fiber to his diet. This will help his intestines move a bit faster, and provide some cushioning for the earring itself. Because a stud earring has that sharp edge on it, a 1/8th slice of plain wheat bread given twice a day will help to wrap around that earring a bit easier than something like canned pumpkin or Metamucil might do. Look for the earring in his stools to make sure you see it come out. If he swallowed the earring really recently, if you take him into the vet right now, it's possible they may be able to retrieve it as well as ensure that it's not caused any undo irritation to his esophagus as it went down. If it has been over 30 minutes or so, it may be too late to try and get it back. It can take 24-48 hours before we can start to see signs of a blockage. You could head into the vet in roughly 24 hours to have an xray taken to try and track the progress of the earring as it moves through. The good news is that metal objects tend to show up really brightly on an xray, so they should be able to easily see it and guage how easily it is passing. The bad news is that if it is not passing, they will have to remove it surgically. If at any point your boy starts to vomit, stops eating/drinking, gets restless or seems painful, grows really lethargic, or is straining to have a bowel movement, he needs to go into a vet clinic immediately. Once an obstruction develops, it becomes an emergency and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. Depending on what type of metal the earring is made from, some heavy metals can be toxic to animals. While they don't absorb the metal, or even break it down very well, if it sits in the stomach for a long period without passing, certain metals will gradually leech into their systems, leading to a metal poisoning. So if you're not seeing it pass in 24-48 hours if you choose to bulk, head into the clinic anyway, even if you are not seeing any of the above signs.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. If Chester is acting normal and there is no vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy or inappetance then I would monitor for now. If you do start to notice any of these changes, I would get Chester in to see a veterinarian to have an examination and abdominal x-rays or abdominal ultrasound to see if there is an intestinal obstruction due to the ingested toy. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Generally, the plastic of cat toys is fairly thin and flexible, but if it is hard with sharp edges, it is certainly possible that it can cause problems similar to a bone. If Mia vomited the toy, hopefully this will not be an issue. If Mia continues to vomit, does not eat, does not seem to feel well or is straining to defecate, I would certainly have your veterinarian examine her. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Mia will be fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What you are describing does fit with an intestinal obstruction. The only other thing that we also commonly see is vomiting. The most concerning thing is that you report that he is acting extremely lethargic. Cats are very good at hiding their pain, so when they get this depressed, it indicates a severe problem. If you also think that he may have eaten a small toy, then I would recommend taking him to the vet as soon as possible. It would be less concerning if he was still active and eating, but a bowel obstruction can cause severe pain and quickly lead to life-threatening complications. I hope that helps and Binx gets better soon.