My dog ate a foam ball. Is it toxic? What are the warning signs?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As you point out, this could be due to an upset stomach. Of course the concern would be a gastrointestinal obstruction from her eating pieces of her toy. At this point, if she has only vomited once, you may continue to monitor her closely to see if it is only going to be an isolated episode. Watch closely for signs associated with an obstruction such as nausea, vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. If observed, have her evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment at that point. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may have a hard time passing. You can continue to watch her for any evidence of an obstruction which may be observed with symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, inappetence and/or lethargy. If these are observed, have Rudi evaluated by a veterianrian for further assessment and treatment as these can be signs of an obstruction which may need therapy. Otherwise, I really hope that it passes. Good luck and have a great day!

Poor girl. Styrofoam does have the potential to cause an obstruction, although smaller pieces have less of a tendency to do so. Monitor her for signs of an intestinal obstruction which includes excessive vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain and weakness. Typically signs of an obstruction will occur within 24-48 hrs. If she seems fine beyond this then she's in the clear; however if you note these symptoms then take her to the vet immediately. In the meantime, feed her wet (canned) food to help bind it and then take her on 20-30 minute brisk walks twice a day to promote GI motility.

Hello, I am very sorry to hear about Sandy. Depending on the amount ingested or if he chewed the pieces or ingested them in big chunks, this may or may not cause a problem. If this happened recently you could bring Sandy to your veterinarian to try and induce vomiting and get rid of the foam. If it has been longer than 1-2 hours ago I would recommend continuing to monitor Sandy. It is possible that he will experience GI upset secondary to this material since it is foreign to his GI tract. It is also possible that the foam could lead to an obstruction if a large amount was ingested. I would recommend monitoring him for any vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance, or lethargy. If he develops any of these signs I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian. They can perform x-rays to determine if the foam is causing a blockage in his intestines and discuss the need for further treatment with you. Hope this helps, 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!

Oh no, that was naughty of Copper! This rubber should pass without problem, but I would keep an eye on him to be safe. There is a potential it could cause a blockage, and signs of that include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, and constipation. If you see any of those signs, take Copper into a vet immediately.

Given that Snowball has eaten twice since and isn't vomiting, I would monitor her for signs an obstruction to be safe. It can take a couple of days for signs to be seen which include vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, not pooping, and severe lethargy. If you see any of those signs, take her into a vet right away. Otherwise if you don't see any of those signs, she will be just fine. Best of luck!