Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog ate a pen and ink. Is it dangerous? What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Cockapoo | Female | spayed | 1 year and 7 months old | 15.6 lbs

What should I do if my dog ate parts of a pen including some ink?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Anna M., DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 10th, 2019

Hello, and thanks for your question about Willow. From your picture, it looks like she probably ingested very little if at all. She will most likely do just fine. Small pieces of plastic will typically pass without incident. If she's acting totally normal, you can monitor her for symptoms of GI upset (vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy) - or to be on the safe side have her seen by your vet to get abdominal x-rays and make sure everything looks ok. Of course, if you're already seeing symptoms then send her in to be examined. But if she's acting fine, I suspect she'll be fine. :-)

Hope this helps!

34Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on March 8th, 2017
Labs will eat anything, won't they? Typically, the ink in pens is non-toxic, so the only concern I have would be if the pen did some damage to her GI tract on the way out. I would give her a slice of whole wheat bread now, and one with every meal. This will hopefully form a ball of ingesta around the pen, and cushion it as it passes through the GI tract. Monitor Jenny, and if you do see some bloody feces, I would have her seen by a vet.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My puppy ate a pen. What if she swallowed plastic or ink?

These little pieces of plastic should pass without problem, but they may cause some damage to the GI tract if they are sharp. If you see blood in the poop, diarrhea, or a loss of appetite, have Nila seen by a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog chewed a pen and burst the ink. What should I do now?

Ink in a pen is generally non-toxic, and she would have needed to consume a lot of it for medical attention to be required. The amount of ink contained in this pen is unlikely to cause her any problems, and if she didn't eat any part of the pen itself, she should be fine. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog chewed a pen. Did he swallow plastic or ink? Is it safe?

Hi, I think if the pieces of plastic are quite small, they are likely to pass through his tummy without causing any issues. At this point in time, you can keep an eye for any signs relating to gastro-intestinal problems. Is Cashew eating well and passing normal faeces ? Is any sickness occurring ? If you haven't noticed any abnormal signs, you just ned to keep an eye on his faeces over the next few days, and make sure he is not straining nor in any pain. Hopefully Cashew is like my dog and destroys things without swallowing them ! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog chewed a pen and swallowed ink. Is he going to be okay?

Hello, I am sorry to hear about Dave. Ink can be toxic to dogs when a large quantity is ingested on an empty stomach. The toxic compound in many inks is ethanol. Based on the photo that you have attached I think it is unlikely that Dave could have ingested enough to cause toxicity. However, please monitor him for any symptoms such as lethargy, leaking urine/feces, shallow breathing, etc. If you notice any of the above symptoms or Dave acts clinically ill I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 4-month-old puppy chewed a pen. Is ink in his mouth dangerous?

Writing ink is generally not toxic, and must be consumed in large quantities before medical attention is needed. The amount of ink contained in a pen is unlikely to cause toxicity in Pancho, but I would be more concerned if he ate the pen portion itself. If he hasn't, gently flush out his mouth with warm water, and clean any ink in his mouth. You can monitor him for signs of ink toxicity (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, mouth irritation), and if you see any of those signs, take him into the vet right away. Otherwise, I think he will be ok :-)

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog swallowed an Expo marker. Is it dangerous? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The ink or color in these markers now is usually non toxic. The main concern is the possibility of an intestinal obstruction. If she swallowed the marker whole then the main concern would a possible obstruction that may require therapy via endoscopy or most likely surgery. If this is the case, I recommend that you have her evaluated by your local emergency clinic tonight for further assessment and possible treatment. It is possible that this could pass but seems less likely given its size even if she is a larger dog. Best of luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate non-toxic printmaking ink. Should I be worried about him?

Thank you for providing the information that the ink is non-toxic! If he only ate a little of it and it's non-toxic, Archie should be fine. You may see some GI upset in the form of vomiting or diarrhea, and if you do, you can try a home remedy to see if that helps. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share