My dog ate the absorbent pad from raw meat packaging. Is he okay?

Hi there. It's very possible that the pad may pass through his system without causing any problems, especially if he chewed it into pieces first. Or, he may vomit it up on his own. The biggest concern would be that it might become stuck in his intestines and cause an obstruction. Symptoms of this problem would include repeated episodes of vomiting, not eating, acting lethargic, and not having regular bowel movements. If any of these symptoms are seen, then you should take him to the vet right away for an exam and x-rays. But as long as he's acting normal (eating and drinking, no vomiting), you shouldn't need to worry. If he does develop any problems, this would likely happen within the next 2-3 days - so after that, you should be able to relax.

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.

Monitor for lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. Consider withholding food for the next 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte. If Dexter develops stomach upset without any other symptoms, you can fast him then offer a bland diet in small, frequent amounts until symptoms resolve. If he becomes lethargic, stops eating or develops abdominal pain then he should be examined by your veterinarian.

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.

The biggest problem with a bigger piece of something swallowed is that it could remain stuck in the esophagus which can be dangerous. Typically signs of this are excessive swallowing/gagging, drooling, acting restless, decreased appetite, etc. If it was fully swallowed then it may or may not upset his stomach (decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy). If you become concerned that it may not have been fully swallowed or if he is acting off then a visit to your family vet is in order. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

Hello, thank you for your question about Dexter. Bacon grease is very high in fat and can be irritating to the stomach/GI tract. IF a large amount is eaten it can also lead to pancreatitis. Paper towels are usually digestable depending on the size of the dog and the number ingested. I would recommend continuing to monitor Dexter for any progression or worsening of the vomiting. You could offer Dexter a bland diet to help ease the potential discomfort in his GI tract. If Dexter becomes inappetant, continues to vomit, or develops diarrhea I would recommend having him seen by your veterinarian. They can perform an examination and determine the need for other diagnostics and treatments. Hope this helps, good luck!