My dog ate tampons. Is it dangerous? What should I do immediately?

Hello there! Tampons absorb fluid, so when ingested, they can swell in the intestines and cause a blockage that requires surgery. This could affect any size dog, but as Hershey is a large breed, she has a better chance of being able to pass the tampon without needing surgery. This is good news! The signs of her having an intestinal obstruction that requires medical or surgical attention would be: Not interested in food, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargic, being reclusive (like laying in a corner by herself) I am not alarmed that she has vomited once, but keep an eye on her. If she starts to show other signs that I mentioned, take her into her vet. They will recommend x-rays to check for a blockage in the intestinal tract and bloodwork to check for infections and anemia that can result from a blockage. Then they will either recommend medical intervention, which may include fluids, antibiotics, a high fiber diet, and enemas, or surgical intervention, which may include cutting the intestine to remove the tampon or having to remove a piece of intestine if there is tissue damage. Again, this is worst case scenario. As she is still eating well, defecating normally, and behaving normally, I think home monitoring is absolutely fine for now considering she is such a large dog. Next time she vomits, try to remove it from her before she can eat it again- I realize this is easier said than done. :) I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bella! Tampons are tough! I have had to do surgery to remove them before. If Bella is vomiting, lethargic and not eating then I would worry that the tampon is stuck. I would recommend having her seen. Sadly just because she was lucky enough to pass one before doesn’t mean it will this time. I wish you the best!

Good morning! I have had several patients consume used tampons over the years. He may be large enough to pass it. However, I have had several smaller patients who did obstruct and need surgery. If I were in your situation I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian and see if they can induce vomiting. If it is still in his stomach and he is able to vomit it up then the problem is solved. I would take a loaf of bread with you to your appointment to help fill his stomach before vomiting which could help it come out. If it has already passed out of the stomach into the intestinal tract then waiting for any signs of vomiting or diarrhea is important. I think the likelihood of TSS is extremely slim and I would worry more about obstruction then anything else. Best of luck and I hope he vomits it up! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm glad the tampon came out! And you certainly are not the first one that's happened too. Hydrogen peroxide can often successfully induce vomiting as in Khloe's case, which is good. However, it also causes significant irritation to the wall of the stomach. This can cause bleeding in the stomach. Digested blood appears brown. Therefore I am concerned that Khloe may have some pretty significant gastritis. I would recommend that you get her to a vet, they will likely prescribe a medication called sucralfate (carafate) that is very helpful in cases of severe gastritis. An acid reducer such as Pepcid may be indicated as well--however I would not recommend giving that without first seeing a vet. If she happened to eat anything else strange from the trash, stomach acid is a vital part of digesting material and making it most likely to be able to pass through. Taking her in would certainly be my first recommendation. However, If you want to avoid going to the vet if possible, and she only vomited brown liquid once, and she is otherwise acting ok--active, happy, interested in whats going on around her, eating when offered--its reasonable to give her 24 hours with small amounts of boiled chicken/white rice to eat, and see how she does. Keep fresh water available at all times but don't allow her to drink large volumes at a time. If at any point she becomes lethargic, has no interest in food, or she vomits more than 2-3 times in a 12-24 hour period, take her in. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Bloody vomit indicates serious damage to the esophagus and/or stomach. Considering this and the fact that she is at high risk for an obstruction from eating the bones and tampons, I recommend you take her to the vet immediately for treatment. Giving oil or vaseline will not be helpful and will actually make the problem worse. A vet will have to evaluate her more and can provide the necessary treatment to keep her from having life-threatening complications. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do for this at home right now. The best thing you can do is get her to a vet as soon as possible. I hope that helps and Snoop gets better soon.

I would not recommend inducing vomiting at home - hydrogen peroxide can cause gastric ulcers. A single tampon could pass in a 78 pound dog, but tampons can also get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract. I would recommend contacting your vet to see if they would recommend inducing vomiting with a medication.

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made for a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!