My dog ate wood. What should I do if it's stuck or causing issues?

It is pretty common that dogs eat things like sticks, and yes it can cause a big problem. I recommend going out into your backyard a couple of times a week to pick up and remove any sticks that may be there. When you let Kila outside, watch her to keep her from eating sticks. When you take her on walks, also watch her closely to keep her from eating sticks. That should prevent this from happening again. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Milo. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. It is worrisome that he vomited wood pieces. This can be irritating and/or damaging to the gastrointestinal tract. If he is not drinking normally, I worry that he will become dehydrated. The veterinarian will examine him and determine how best to treat him. I hope this information helps!

Hello. It is amazing what can pass through the gut of a dog. I am sure the wood Piper chewed up has softened & should pass without incident. As long as her appetite continues to be normal, I would not be too concerned. If she should stop eating, develop any diarrhea or painful defecation, develop a firm & painful abdomen, or appear to have a fever, please see your veterinarian immediately. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Often times a small piece of wood will pass without any problem. However, if she begins to vomit or have diarrhea then she should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Blanco! Puppies often eat things they aren't supposed to, including wood, and sometimes it passes on it's own. It's good that he is having normal bowel movements, and has no signs of blood in his poor or mouth. It could be that his stomach is still upset from eating the wood, or there could still be pieces of wood in his GI system. 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. Continue to monitor his poop for signs of wood, and monitor his overall behavior. If he refuses to eat the bland diet, vomits the bland diet, becomes very lethargic, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or has blood in his stool, he will need to see a vet right away.

Oh no, that was naughty of Chloe! At this point, all you can do is monitor her. It wouldn't be recommended to induce her to vomit, as the wood could get caught in her esophagus or damage it on it's way out. The wood could cause some damage to her GI tract as it passes through and/or could cause an obstruction. Monitor her for vomiting, diarrhea, bloody feces, anorexia, blood in the vomit, lethargy, or constipation. Should you see any of those signs, I would take Chloe into a vet right away.

I would recommend taking your dog to the vet to have an x-ray performed. Wooden skewers are usually not broken down in the GI tract and may need to be removed surgically. I have seen one case where the dog was able to pass the skewer on his own but using this "wait and see" approach carries a high risk for bowel perforation from the skewer and if that happens, you are unfortunately in an emergency situation. An x-ray can help determine if in fact the skewer was swallowed whole or if it was chewed up and broken down.