My dog ate a feminine pad and is coughing up foam. Is it an emergency?

Oh no, that was naughty of Theo! Feminine pads are dangerous in that they are meant to absorb liquid, and thus expand when in contact with fluids. This pad can expand in his stomach due to liquids in it, and then cause a blockage in his GI tract. If he does end up with a blockage in his GI tract, he would need surgery to remove it. It would be best to take him into an ER now where he can be safely induced to vomit with a shot to get the pad out and prevent an blockage from occurring. I would take him in immediately, as vomiting has to be induced within two hours after ingestion. Good luck, I hope everything turns out ok with Theo!

Oh no, that was naughty of Phoebe to eat the pad! I do not recommend inducing her to vomit at home with peroxide (H2O2). The reason is that H2O2 can and does cause severe esophagitis and gastritis, often worse than the initial problem, so it's always preferred to advise emergency care. Also, we have no way of knowing whether the dog is debilitated and has a greater chance of aspirating. The best thing to do is have her seen by an ER vet now to safely induce vomiting with a shot to get the pad out of her to prevent an obstruction. Otherwise, you can watch her for signs of obstruction with include vomiting, anorexia, lethargy, diarrhea, and/or constipation. If you see any of those signs, she will need to see a vet immediately.

If she isn't having any trouble breathing, and its more of a retch type cough, the pieces are probably in the back of her throat or they are in her esophagus (as apposed to being in her trachea/airway). I recommend that you offer her a piece of bread - preferably starchy white bread such as Wonderbread, then offer her some water or low sodium broth to wash it down. If the pieces are in the back of her mouth or in her esophagus this may help them move down. HOWEVER, if she is unable to swallow the bread, if she seems distressed when she tries to swallow, if she is drooling a lot of making a hard swallowing motion, you need to take her in. I'm sorry, I know that's hard when finances are a stress, but if she has something that is stuck in her esophagus that can be a real problem. I think that is unlikely the case, as I would expect for foam to be able to pass on down, but a big enough piece could be a problem. Likewise, even if/when we can get her to stop coughing/retching with the bread, please watch her closely for vomiting and decreased appetite. If these things occur, please take her in. It is possible that bedding can cause a blockage in the intestine (much more common than an blockage in the esophagus as I discussed above). Also, please watch her breathing. If she starts coughing again or if it seems she is breathing faster than normal (persistently faster than 40 breaths a minute at rest and when not panting) or it seems she is labored in her breathing, take her in. Anytime they have been working on "getting something up" there is a risk that some of the material, and/or some stomach acid/contents can regurgitate into the esophagus and then get sucked down the trachea, causing aspiration pneumonia. Try the bread and water or broth, then watch her closely. I hope you can avoid a visit to the vet but be aware she may need to be seen. Again what you are watching for is: vomiting decreased appetite painful belly continued or recurrent coughing breathing fast or labored Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I hope that information helps you.

I would take Rosie into a vet immediately. The concern with the potty pad is that it could cause an obstruction, which would then lead to surgery. Surgery to fix that would be thousands. It's best to take her into a vet now, who can safely induce vomiting with a shot. Best of luck.

Yes, if your puppy has been vomiting after eating abnormal material, she should absolutely be seen by a veterinarian. Pads can potentially cause obstruction of her stomach or intestines. She should be evaluated and have radiographs performed to rule out an obstruction of her gastrointestinal tract, ASAP.

Since Panda ate some foam padding yesterday and has ben vomiting and eating less, my main concern is that he has developed a stomach or intestinal obstruction. He needs to see a vet immediately for an exam and abdominal x-rays to try to determine if he is obstructed. Foreign body obstructions are a surgical emergency. I hope he's on the mend soon!

It sounds like Roxie has developed kennel cough which is like doggy flu. The cough is typical and the foam is produced due to airway irritation. I would make an appointment as she will benefit from an antinflammatory and may need an antibiotic. You could give her a little warm honey in water to help her in the mean time.