My dog ate a fabric ball. She's fine, but it hasn't passed. What now?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is a good chance that she will pass it. However, it is important to watch closely for clinical signs consistent with an intestinal obstruction such as vomiting, abdominal pain and decreased appetite. If any of the above are observed, she should be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for your question about Shadow. It is difficult to know for sure whether this will lead to a problem or not. Since Shadow is a good sized dog if the ball was small it is possible that it will pass through her GI tract without causing any problems. However, there is always the chance that foreign material can cause an obstruction in the GI tract; this would require surgery to remove the ball. I would recommend continuing to monitor Shadow for development of any signs such as vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, or lethargy. If at any point she shows these symptoms I would recommend contacting your veterinarian. In the meantime to try and help the ball pass through her GI tract I would recommend offering her canned food to help the material pass. Alternatively you could offer her bread or canned pumpkin with her meals. Hope this helps, good luck!

What a cute name snowball! Yes, it is possible that the arm has passed through the stool and you just missed it. I would not be concerned as long as snowball is eating, drinking and defecating normal. If at anytime snowball is acting ill, vomiting or not eating I would recommend taking snowball to the vet for an x-ray of her abdomen. I hope that helps

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies are hard! Sadly ingesting fabric can cause an obstruction. If you aren't sure if she ingested any then you can fast her or if you haven't fed her yet have her seen for an X-ray. If she hasn't eaten in 12 hours or more she should have an empty stomach. If it is full then we'd be worried about fabric in her stomach. The other option is to wait and see if it becomes a problem. Signs of a blockage are lethargy, vomiting, not eating, and belly pain. If any of these symptoms occur then she would need to be seen right away. Since she is a bed destroyer I would recommend not allowing her access to beds, blankets, sheets or stuffed animals until she outgrow this. She will be fine sleeping on a hard surface. It is better than a surgery! I wish you the best!

I'd keep monitoring Bella for now. If you see vomiting, diarrhea, she doesn't poop at all, lethargy, or loss of appetite, then you will have to take her into a vet right away. This may pass without problem, but I can't say for sure.

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. It is concerning Winnie ate the foam ball, but it's good she's acting normally. Keep an eye out for vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, or an inability to pass feces. If you see any of those signs, then have her seen by a vet immediately. She is a big dog, and this may pass without problem. I'd watch her closely over the next 72 hours. I hope this helps!