My dog ate a metal ball like a marble. Will it pass or is it harmful?

This is a potentially serious problem. A piece of copper may cause copper toxicity which can damage the liver or be fatal. Inducing vomiting may be dangerous, so that decision should be left up to your veterinarian. An abdominal x-ray can be taken to confirm or rule out an ingestion. If Kalli did swallow a piece, it should be removed as soon as possible. This may require endoscopy or surgery.

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.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Mario! I think it all depends on if the metal is sharp and if it contains lead. I recommend taking him to the Vet. Prices vary by location and if you have to go through emergency. A regular office visit is $50 and emergency can be $75-$110. X-rays cost $75-$125 depending on how many views they need. The Vet will then discuss cost of treatment. If he needs surgery it is cheaper to remove it when it is in the stomach. They may even be able to scope it out, which had a quicker recovery time. But may not be cheaper. I wish you the best of luck!

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.

It will either pass through or it could potential get stuck and cause an obstruction. If she chewed it in pieces than it will likely pass through without getting stuck. It may cause some inflammation in her intestines and you may notice some diarrhea. If she starts vomitng, becomes lethargic, or stops eating than she needs to be seen right away.

Hello and thank you for reaching out about your dog. While you do have a large lab, there is certainly a high chance that this ball could cause an intestinal obstruction. If it was recently ingested (within 3 hours) you could take him to your local emergency veterinary hospital, have an xray performed, and if it still in the stomach (and based on the size of the ball) the veterinarian MAY be able to induce vomiting to try and retrieve the ball. An xray today would be advised to see where the ball is in his intestinal tract. If you elect to not seek veterinary care today I would advise to monitor for ANY vomiting or decrease in appetite. If either of those occur please seek veterinary care for your dog immediately.