My dog ate a used incontinence pad. Should I worry about poisoning?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The symptoms of gastrointestinal blockage include vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, small stools or no stools at all. If Sassy ate the incontinence pad a few days ago and she has not developed signs of anorexia and vomiting, most likely she does not have a blockage. If the only worrying sign at the moment is abnormal stool appearance, you should try bland diet for 2-3 days. However, if Sassy looks unwell or starts to vomit, you should take her to your local vets right away.

It is very possible, and I would be worried if he's now having vomiting and diarrhea, as that may indicate a partial blockage (where some but not all stool is able to properly pass). If his symptoms continue, or none of the pee pad is passing, I would schedule a vet visit immediately to check for foreign body.

That's a tough one. Simba is so tiny, so a palm size sheet of plastic could possibly cause an obstruction or could pass through in the stool. Your options are to wait and hope it passes, but take him to the vet if he starts vomiting or having a decreased appetite or energy level for x-rays and possible emergency surgery. OR, you take him to an emergency clinic now that has an endoscope and see if they can remove it (which would still require general anesthesia and may not be successful because the plastic may just fall apart when they try to pull it out). There's not a clear right answer here because their are risks with both options. I'd give him a 50-70% chance of passing it on his own. I wish I could give you a more definite answer, but I hope that helps you decide how you want to proceed.

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.

Since you don't when or how much, it is reasonable to monitor for any GI upset or vomiting or diarrhea and monitor his activity level and appetite. If you notice any changes over the next 1-2 days then he needs to be seen by a vet to see if there is an obstruction.

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.