Why are coins toxic for dogs? Are European euro coins also harmful?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The easiest thing to do is make an appointment today with your vet and take one X-ray. If he ate the coin it will be very obvious. If there is not coin the worry is over! Its a bit rare for a cat to ingest a coin but anything is possible. In the US it is pennies that contain zinc which is toxic causing red blood cell destruction. The US penny contains much more zinc but it is all weigh based. It doesn't happen in 4 hours, it take more time than that. It is the slow release of the zinc over time from the gastric acid. Even if there isn't enough zinc in the 10 cent Euro it is almost 2 cm in diameter. That is big for a cat to pass. The safest thing is to confirm the actual presence of the coin. If it is present and Max was my cat I would get it out so I didn't have to worry. Have a great day!

Silly Mochj! The main concerns in these situations is that sometimes the metals in the coins can absorb into the body and lead to toxicity, and coins can sometimes lead to a blockage of the digestive tract. I recommend that you make an appointment to take Mochj in to see your vet. They may want to take X-rays to see where the coin is, and they will likely recommend that you search for the coin in Mochj's poo for the next few days. They will probably want to do X-rays again in a few days if you do not find it, to see if it is stuck somewhere. If it does get stuck, they may recommend surgery to remove it to help prevent toxicity and blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. See the link below for more information, and I hope everything works out okay for Mochj! https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/coins/

I am assuming your dog ate coins. Since he is not going to the loo, there likely is a partial obstruction or possibly even a blockage. this can be life threatening and therefore you need to take your dog to your veterinarian today for an exam and x-ray which will show up any problems. In the event of an obstruction the coins will need to be removed surgically.

Pennies are toxic. The acid in the stomach will cause the penny to break down. Once the penny starts to corrode, the zinc is released into the bloodstream and causes anemia and liver damage. It could take a few hours to a couple days before signs of toxicity start to show up. This is a medical emergency and you need to take Bandit into a vet immediately to have the pennies removed. You cannot treat this at home and you cannot leave him without treatment. Please take him into a vet now. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Leo may have eaten some loose change. If it was a penny after the early 1980s that he may have eaten, we would have concern for a possible zinc toxicity. Possible signs are vomiting, lethargy, and inappetence, among others. As coins easily show up on xrays, I would recommend taking Leo (and possibly his siblings) in for a screening xray to ensure that no one ate any coins, and if any did, which one and how many, so a treatment plan could be started. Good luck!

This is a potentially serious problem. A piece of copper may cause copper toxicity which can damage the liver or be fatal. Inducing vomiting may be dangerous, so that decision should be left up to your veterinarian. An abdominal x-ray can be taken to confirm or rule out an ingestion. If Kalli did swallow a piece, it should be removed as soon as possible. This may require endoscopy or surgery.

Try not to worry but if it is metal, it can be toxic. Heavy metals i.e. Containing zinc or copper),lcan cause toxicity which can result in severe anemia. You should take him to the nearest veterinary emergency hospital to discuss x-rays and possibly induction of vomiting.