My dog ate a towel and isn't pooping. Is it a bowel obstruction?

Often times, paper towels will pass through without a problem - especially if Max chewed it into pieces before eating it. But there is always a chance that it could cause a blockage. You will need to monitor him closely for the next 2-3 days for any signs of a problem - if he begins vomiting, acting lethargic, or doesn't want to eat, then you need to take him to a vet right away for x-rays and possible surgery if a blockage is found. As long as he is acting normal, I wouldn't worry - you can keep an eye out for pieces of the paper towel to pass in his stool.

She could have an intestinal obstruction or possibly just an upset stomach. She should be examined by a vet to determine if she has an obstruction and your vet can take an abdominal x-ray to evaluate. She would need surgery to remove the towel, if an obstruction is found. If your vet does not see evidence of an obstruction than he/she can prescribe medications to help treat the vomiting.

Hello. I honestly would not rush her into an emergency clinic based on one episode of vomiting. Eating well & having normal & regular bowel movements are definitely a sign of a healthy GI tract. A blockage would make her very sick. If she continues to vomit, quits eating, develops any diarrhea, then see your veterinarian, but there is no way 1/6 of a paper towel, even in a small dog, would cause a blockage. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Kalua is still acting sick, straining to pass stool, vomitting or not eating you may need to take him to the vet. A paper towel by itself probably wouldn't cause an obstruction but if there was grease on it or he ate something else he could have gastritis, pancreatitis or an obstruction. If he is acting more normal today, feed a bland diet such as chicken and rice for a couple of days (Plain, no fat, skin, bones or seasoning). But if he continues to vomit or not eat, has diarrhea or constipation he should be seen by his vet. I hope he feels better soon.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lacey! If she is eating and not vomiting and is passing stool (despite the straining and it being loose) then I wouldn't be too concerned. Hopefully she is just dealing with diarrhea. The diarrhea can be from stress of moving, ate something gross that is upsetting her tummy, a virus or bacterial infection, parasites, the paper towels could be causing a blockage, pancreatitis, toxin ingestion, food allergy/ sensitivity. Since she is waking up overnight I would fast her for 12-24 hours to rest the intestinal tract then restart feeding as a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs per day until 2 days of normal stools. If the stool hasn't improved in 2-3 days, she stops eating, starts vomiting or becomes lethargic I would have her examined by a Vet. I hope this helps and I wish Lacey a speedy recovery!

It could be that the paper towel caused Goldie's stomach to be upset, and that lead her to eat the grass. Then it is likely that the grass caused her to vomit. She should be able to pass a small amount of paper towel on her own, and it's unlikely that eating this has caused an obstruction already. I will give you a home remedy to try to see if that helps before having to take her into the vet. Withhold food for 8-12 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 her normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, she vomits the bland diet, develops diarrhea, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps :-)

Oh dear! Dogs do love to chew and shred toilet paper when they can get to it - this is a very common occurrence :) The good news is, if he did swallow any of the paper, in most cases it will pass through without any problems. Toilet paper is very soft and tends to break up easily when it gets wet, so it would uncommon to see an intestinal obstruction caused by eating this. As long as Magnum is acting normal, you shouldn't need to worry. Signs of an obstruction would normally develop within 2-3 days, and would include vomiting, acting lethargic, not wanting to eat, and/or not having regular bowel movements. If you see any signs of a problem, it would be a good idea to take him to your vet to be checked.