My dog ate a toy's fabric. Should I worry about intestinal blockage?

Sadly it is very possible that Onyx has a partial obstruction in the upper GI tract from swallowing the soft toy. I am glad that he is acting normally, but the vomiting after eating is very concerning. I recommend having him examined by a veterinarian and likely having x-rays taken to look for signs of an obstruction in the GI tract. The sooner, the better, to prevent possible damage to the GI tract, dehydration or more serious complications. Onyx may need surgery or a scoping procedure to remove an obstruction.

It is possible that the cloth that Ghontu ate could cause a blockage in her intestines. If this is the case, it could become a life threatening surgical emergency. If Ghontu is not eating or drinking normally or if she begins vomiting, you should take her to a veterinarian immediately. Good luck! I hope Ghontu is feeling better soon.

Poor Nuala! If you think she may have swallowed some string from her toy, I would be very concerned that she might have an intestinal blockage - vomiting, not eating, acting lethargic, and not having regular bowel movements are all common signs of this problem. If she does have a blockage, this is a life-threatening emergency that will require immediate surgery to remove the obstruction, so I would recommend taking her to an emergency clinic tonight to be seen. The veterinarian there can examine her and take some x-rays to help determine if there is a blockage present, and will get her into surgery to remove it if a problem is found.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The symptoms of gastrointestinal blockage include vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, no bowel movement. If Freya has been eating her food and passing stools, gut blockage is very unlikely. I suspect she may have gastrointestinal infection or food indiscretion that are responsible for the clinical symptoms. Please, take Freya to your local vets for an appointment to make sure there is nothing serious going and to get treatment for her. It probably will be a course of antibiotics or medication to regulate bowel movements.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As you point out, this could be due to an upset stomach. Of course the concern would be a gastrointestinal obstruction from her eating pieces of her toy. At this point, if she has only vomited once, you may continue to monitor her closely to see if it is only going to be an isolated episode. Watch closely for signs associated with an obstruction such as nausea, vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. If observed, have her evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment at that point. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Puppies are hard! Sadly ingesting fabric can cause an obstruction. If you aren't sure if she ingested any then you can fast her or if you haven't fed her yet have her seen for an X-ray. If she hasn't eaten in 12 hours or more she should have an empty stomach. If it is full then we'd be worried about fabric in her stomach. The other option is to wait and see if it becomes a problem. Signs of a blockage are lethargy, vomiting, not eating, and belly pain. If any of these symptoms occur then she would need to be seen right away. Since she is a bed destroyer I would recommend not allowing her access to beds, blankets, sheets or stuffed animals until she outgrow this. She will be fine sleeping on a hard surface. It is better than a surgery! I wish you the best!

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!