My dog ate bloody gauze pads. Should I worry about an obstruction?

How naughty of Charlie to do that. It sounds like he may have vomited it all up, which would be the best case scenario here. Since he is still passing stool and eating well, it is ok to monitor him for the next 24 hrs to see how things pan out. Try offering him a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese for the next few days, then slowly introduce his regular kibble back. If he continues to vomit, becomes lethargic, or has a loss of appetite then I would be concerned about a possible blockages and recommend he be seen. I hope everything works out well for your pet Charlie. Best wishes and take care.

Thanks for your question. It sounds like you have a naughty boy on your hands. At this point, it sounds like he isn't currently having symptoms. If he stops eating or starts vomiting, you will want to seek veterinary attention. Unfortunately, there are some dogs that are repeat offenders and continue to get themselves into trouble. If not already, he may need to be crated when alone, with nothing but a metal water bowl in the crate with him. I hope it makes it through this and stays out of trouble for a while.

Hi there. It's very possible that the pad may pass through his system without causing any problems, especially if he chewed it into pieces first. Or, he may vomit it up on his own. The biggest concern would be that it might become stuck in his intestines and cause an obstruction. Symptoms of this problem would include repeated episodes of vomiting, not eating, acting lethargic, and not having regular bowel movements. If any of these symptoms are seen, then you should take him to the vet right away for an exam and x-rays. But as long as he's acting normal (eating and drinking, no vomiting), you shouldn't need to worry. If he does develop any problems, this would likely happen within the next 2-3 days - so after that, you should be able to relax.

Hello there! Tampons absorb fluid, so when ingested, they can swell in the intestines and cause a blockage that requires surgery. This could affect any size dog, but as Hershey is a large breed, she has a better chance of being able to pass the tampon without needing surgery. This is good news! The signs of her having an intestinal obstruction that requires medical or surgical attention would be: Not interested in food, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargic, being reclusive (like laying in a corner by herself) I am not alarmed that she has vomited once, but keep an eye on her. If she starts to show other signs that I mentioned, take her into her vet. They will recommend x-rays to check for a blockage in the intestinal tract and bloodwork to check for infections and anemia that can result from a blockage. Then they will either recommend medical intervention, which may include fluids, antibiotics, a high fiber diet, and enemas, or surgical intervention, which may include cutting the intestine to remove the tampon or having to remove a piece of intestine if there is tissue damage. Again, this is worst case scenario. As she is still eating well, defecating normally, and behaving normally, I think home monitoring is absolutely fine for now considering she is such a large dog. Next time she vomits, try to remove it from her before she can eat it again- I realize this is easier said than done. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This should pass. He obviously likes the feel of chewing on the pads. However you really need to lock the pads away so he cannot access them as they can cause an obstruction when ingested. Monitor KD for diarrhea and vomiting/retching during the next week and should this occur, take him to a veterinarian to check for an intestinal obstruction. I doubt he will get one from such a small piece, however you never know.

It can take a few days for a foreign object to fully move through the gastrointestinal tract. I've also seen a dog or two that has had a foreign object that can stay in the stomach for a long time (months) and that causes intermittent problems - this would be pretty unusual for something like a sanitary napkin however. I'd say if you get to three days with no problems you're probably in the clear. It sounds like you know what signs to watch for already but if she does vomit, if her appetite is decreased or if you see diarrhea you should head to your vet.

Trick did eat a good size piece of vet wrap! Hopefully, it will pass through without problem, but I would monitor him to be safe for signs of obstruction just in case. These signs include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, and constipation. If you see any of those signs, I would take Trick into the vet right away. If he is a larger dog, it should pass without problem, but it's always good to observe him to be safe.