My dog ate coins, isn't sick or pooping. Is it an emergency?

Silly Mochj! The main concerns in these situations is that sometimes the metals in the coins can absorb into the body and lead to toxicity, and coins can sometimes lead to a blockage of the digestive tract. I recommend that you make an appointment to take Mochj in to see your vet. They may want to take X-rays to see where the coin is, and they will likely recommend that you search for the coin in Mochj's poo for the next few days. They will probably want to do X-rays again in a few days if you do not find it, to see if it is stuck somewhere. If it does get stuck, they may recommend surgery to remove it to help prevent toxicity and blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. See the link below for more information, and I hope everything works out okay for Mochj! https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/coins/

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, a cat can swallow a coin. Hopefully, none of them ate the coin. Clinical symptoms that you may notice include nausea (which may manifests as decreased appetite, drooling and/or lip smacking), vomiting, anorexia and/or abdominal discomfort. If any of these signs are noted, have your kitty evaluated as soon as possible. If you really wanted to know for sure and you rather not wait to see if something happens, you can take them all to your veterinarian to have abdominal radiographs performed to see if the coin can be observed. I think it is fine to just monitor them for now to see if any clinical symptoms are observed. If they do fine and no clinical symptoms are observed, in all likelihood none of them ingested the coin. Good luck!

It sounds as though you're concerned that Cooper may have an intestinal obstruction/blockage from eating everything he can find. The most common signs of an obstruction include vomiting, lethargy and inappetence, so if you observe any of these changes, he needs to go to an ER vet immediately. If Copper is otherwise eating, drinking and acting normally, consider adding a small amount of canned pure pumpkin (not pie filling!) to his diet to see if the added fiber helps him to have a bowel movement. If he still hasn't had a bowel movement by tomorrow, he should see his vet for signs of constipation. I assume that Copper is urinating normally, but if he has not urinted today, he needs to see an ER vet immediately.

It's difficult to know for sure without knowing the size or type of object ingested, but it's definitely a concern for causing an obstruction in the stomach or intestines. If she ate it within the last three hours, then it's possible that it can be retrieved from the stomach if you take her to the vet. This may require anesthesia and special instrumentation though, so it would be expected to be somewhat costly - especially at an emergency clinic. This is the best option though. The other option is waiting to see if it passes OK. Normal GI transit time is 3-5 days. During this time you would just be waiting to see if she has any signs of an obstruction. Signs of an obstructions are vomiting, not defecating, acting very painful/depressed and a decrease in appetite. If you notice these signs, then Olive would need to go to the vet immediately for emergency surgery. I hope that helps and all is well with Olive.

Pennies are toxic. The acid in the stomach will cause the penny to break down. Once the penny starts to corrode, the zinc is released into the bloodstream and causes anemia and liver damage. It could take a few hours to a couple days before signs of toxicity start to show up. This is a medical emergency and you need to take Bandit into a vet immediately to have the pennies removed. You cannot treat this at home and you cannot leave him without treatment. Please take him into a vet now. Best of luck.

I am very concerned about Pilly, it sounds like he has a very upset stomach! My top concern would be a blockage in his intestines caused by something that he ate, like a toy, bone, sock, trash, etc. This would also prevent food from moving through his system and turning into feces. Other possibilities include bacterial or viral infection, intestinal parasites, or other internal issue. I recommend that Pilly see a vet as soon as possible. Your vet will probably recommend x-rays and maybe even blood work depending on what they discover during the physical exam.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am really concerned about Pumkin head, especially since she has vomited up underwear and is continuing to act ill. One of my biggest concerns is that she could have something stuck in her intestines causing a blockage or obstruction. This is a surgical emergency, because something in the intestines has the potential to cause rupture of the intestines. The best way to diagnose this is with abdominal x-rays. If there is anyone who can help you out financially, bringing her to an emergency veterinarian right away is ideal. If you absolutely cannot, please ensure she has plenty of access to water. You may try offering her small amounts of a highly digestible diet, such as boiled chicken and boiled rice. I hope this is helpful - sorry to hear that she is so sick.