My dog ate a battery. How long can it stay in their stomach safely?

Hello. Much depends on the size & type of battery, & whether it was swallowed whole or chewed first. Some batteries are in a plastic casing, so if it does not lodge, it may pass in 3-4 days. If the battery was punctured, symptoms of vomiting & diarrhea can begin in hours, but some batteries when swallowed whole may sit a month or so before leakage begins. If you think your pet swallowed a battery, have him x-rayed. Not all batteries show up well on a x-ray film, so try to bring a similar battery with you when you see your vet. I hope all is well with Alex & thanks fir using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

OK, just a regular alkaline battery. That does not mean it cannot cause severe ulceration if the battery was to leak, but sometimes these can be managed conservatively. If it has been 4-5 days & your dog is completely well & un-symtomatic, then start feeding him 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin ( not pie filling ) twice a day in his food. This will act like a bulk laxative to hopefully help move the battery out. Yes, it can take up to 7 days for this to pass in the stool. All batteries can be potentially very dangerous, & can cause massive burns to the tissues in the gut. It would be nice to know if you have anything to worry about, but as long as Alex seems to be acting normal, just keep a close eye on his appetite & signs of a black or bloody stool.

If batteries are punctured and leak acid they can cause gastric or esophageal ulcers and symptoms would be vomiting, a decreased appetite, or regurgitation. I suppose a larger battery could cause an intestinal obstruction if ingested and the symptoms would be similar. If the battery is not punctured there is also a chance it could pass through the gastrointestinal tract without incident.

Well that was naughty of him. You can certainly give him 1/2 cup of milk as well to help coat his GI tract. Then monitor for any signs of trouble which includes excessive vomiting (water and food), no interest in eating, and any excessive drooling. Most batteries cause caustic burns to the mouth and nothing more, as long as they are not ingested. It is good that he didn't eat the battery, so its best to keep an eye on him and seek a vet if you do see any of the symptoms described above. Also keep in mind that milk doesn't agree with some pets stomach, so a bit of loose stool may occur, at which point you can offer some probiotics (Culturelle over the counter) and some fiber (1-2 tsp of canned pumpking, not the pie filling) to help the stools return to normal. I do hope that Cujo continues to do well after his encounter with this battery. Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

I am sorry to hear about your mom's dog. In cases with batteries it is recommended that she have an x-ray to check and see if the battery is in her digestive tract (it will show up on an x-ray). Unfortunately ingesting batteries is dangerous not necessarily due to obstruction of the GI tract but due to the fact that the batteries can leak acid and be corrosive causing severe damage to the intestinal tract. I would have her seen as soon as possible.

Hi, it’s VERY important to have him checked over ASAP. An x ray can be takien which will reveal the presence of the battery in the stomach if ingested. If so further action such as emergency removal will be needed. If left in the stomach, batteries can lead to internal organ damage. I would bring along the other battery to your vet ( if same batteries were used ), as this will also provide useful information.

I would take Bella into a vet to be safe. Batteries, if punctured, can leak out toxic material that can do damage to a dogs esophagus and stomach, so it's best to have them checked out right away when they chew on one. The vet can decide the best course of treatment for her, please have her seen by a vet ASAP.