My dog ate plastic and cake crumbs from the trash. What now?

Hi there. The graham crackers themselves should not cause any serious problems, although she may have some minor stomach upset if she isn't used to eating human food like this. The plastic is potentially more concerning - it may pass through just fine on its own, especially if she chewed it into pieces, but it's possible that it could become stuck in her intestinal tract and cause an obstruction. I would recommend monitoring her closely for the next 2-3 days for any signs of a problem. Symptoms of an intestinal obstruction would include repeated episodes of vomiting, not eating, acting lethargic, and not having regular bowel movements. If you see any of these symptoms, then I would definitely take her to the vet for an exam and x-rays. But as long as she is acting normal, you shouldn't need to worry :)

If the cupcakes did not have chocolate or raisins and the piece of plastic wrap was relatively small it should be safe to monitor her for a few days. If she begins vomiting, if she develops diarrhea or if her appetite is decreased then I’d recommend seeing your vet.

A tiny piece of plastic like this is unlikely to cause any problems with Ella. You can monitor her for signs of GI obstruction which would include vomiting, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, and lethargy. If these occur, then she should see her vet right away, but I don't expect that to occur with the small amounts she may have ingested, they will likely just pass through her GI tract. You can feed her something high in fiber to help the passing, such as a piece of whole wheat bread or a teaspoon or two of canned pumpkin.

If it has been less than an hour since your pet ate it, you can induce vomiting by giving an oral dose of hydrogen peroxide, about 1 cc per pound. One tablespoon is about 5 cc. A turkey baster will work if you don't have a syringe. Longer than an hour and it will have already moved into the intestines. If it's too late to get him to vomit, you can reasonably expect diarrhea at least. I would withhold food for 12-24 hours to give his gut a chance to rest after this very rich meal. When you start feeding him, only give him a few pieces of kibble at a time, every 30 minutes or so, until he has had his usual meal. If at any time he develops lethargy, fever, repeated vomiting, abdominal pain, or any other adverse symptoms, he should be seen by your vet right away. The plastic could cause a blockage that can seriously damage his intestines.

He could potentially have diarrhoea and vomiting episodes in the next hours. If there was chocolate in it a check up would be needed otherwise I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if you notice diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If the pieces are small enough, Jax should be able to pass them in the next day or so. Monitor for vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. The bread and other bulky food will help cushion the pieces and help push them through his system.

Monitor her for the next 24 hours. Watch for lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, straining to defecate or abdominal pain. If she goes beyond this with no symptoms, then she may be in the clear. If she develops any of the above symptoms, have her physically examined by your veterinarian. Pancreatitis or intestinal obstruction are real concerns after such a "meal".