Vetcetera Things pets eat (do NOT try this at home!)

October 26th, 2007  

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Years ago my husband had Saint Bernards, and one evening he noticed that one of them was having some difficulty trying to pass a bowel movement. Something was hanging from the dog's rear end... so he went to investigate and ended up having to assist the dog (which still grosses him out when he tells the story!) and it was a tie! He hadn't noticed he was missing one... I'm just amazed it was able to pass through at all without causing a blockage.

One thing I saw a dog eat that still, years later has me shaking my head... back when I was a vet tech I was drawing blood on a Golden Retriever. Your typical friendly, goofy Golden. As I finished I started collecting my things and dropped an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. The dog's head darted toward the dropped object as they will do, but this cotton ball was REEKING of alcohol so I didn't even imagine that he'd actually eat it - but he did! :-)

Barb October 26th, 2007 10:30:00 AM

I had an iguana who starting refusing food. Vet trips and x-rays later it was discovered he had swallowed two pennies. Fine, a few days later they came out in the usual way. But he still wouldn't eat.

More x-rays, and there's an indeterminate mass completely filling his gut. The animal hospital thinks it's retained fecal matter, possibly related to the ingestion of all that copper. Surprise, I now have to give a lizard daily enemas! Plus a month of force-feeding. He only excretes small amounts of liquid.

Finally, there's a rumble, and a tremor, and something starts coming out. It's not fecal matter, but black and tissue-like. I panic and call the vet. They think it's a prolapse. I rush him down and drop him off.

When I get home, my phone is ringing. It's the vet, and she's laughing and all the techs in the background are laughing. They are holding a pair of black silk panties. This is a medium-sized iguana -- the underwear was literally 80% of the volume of his chest. They ask if I want it back. I decline.

Iguana comes home and eats the biggest meal of his entire life (excluding the panties). Lives to a ripe old age.

If my dog ate my underwear I wouldn't even blink.

Liza October 26th, 2007 10:32:00 AM

Liza: That is the best iguana story I think I've ever heard. But still, I'd be hard pressed not to blink if my panties went by way of anyone's GI tract. These are expensive garments, after all, and much more so after a$1500 vet bill. ;-)

Dr. Patty Khuly October 26th, 2007 12:00:00 PM

*Giggle, snort, giggle* $1500 panties!

Cardimom October 26th, 2007 01:07:00 PM

At least they weren't granny panties! LOL

I had a dog get carsick and throw up a WHOLE tubesock. It didn't even have chew holes in it. (Why would a dog swallow something like that without chewing? or How can they even do that?)

I have never been so happy to have a carsick dog in my life. I knew it could have ended up as a huge vet bill.

Marie October 26th, 2007 02:34:00 PM

One of my cats ate an (unsalted)roasted, in the shell peanut the other day. I had them out for the pig and he just reached and grabbed one. I just watched in amazement. He seemed to like the peanut shell the most. Then he ate dinner too.

But he hasn't wanted another one since then. Strange cat.

rheather October 26th, 2007 03:38:00 PM

My poor baby Lucas ate a cat toy- the fishing rods with the toys attached? He ate the whole thing and in the end, it killed him (well, that and a foolish vet who misdiagnosed him- can I say that here? Looooooooooooong story- the vet even lied to me when my dog was opened up on the table- UGH!)

Anyways, it's amazing what dogs might chew and even MORE amazing that it can be a dog that you never expect to become obstructed that's the one that finally swallows something dangerous.

Which is why I think CRATING young puppies/dogs is key to keeping your critters safe. You can think, "Hmmm- he would NEVER eat that!" but when dogs get silly, they eat the darndest things!

Trish October 26th, 2007 05:49:00 PM

One of my cats, Jasmine, is a phantom yarn sucker. I'm used to locking my knitting bag in a drawer or closet when I'm not using it. What's really annoying is when I'm all relaxed and knitting away, thinking Jasmine's curled up next to me sleeping, then I reach down to pull more yarn out and come up with a slimy end. I could swear she was smiling the last time that happened.

Diane October 26th, 2007 10:32:00 PM

When Moon (a Scottish Deerhound) was a puppy, she stole a pin in the shape of Lady Liberty's head. It was the kind of pin that looks like a tie tack and has a stopper on the back. We xrayed her and sure enough, there was Lady Liberty and the stopper. Our vet said to keep an eye on her for any changes, etc. and also to keep an eye out to see if she passed the pin. Nothing changed and we never saw the pin.
Two weeks later she had to go back to the vet for something unrelated and we had her xrayed again to see if the pin was still there. He came in the room with the film, shaking his head. There on the xray was a wood screw!
Moon is still lively and happy at 12.5 years. Obviously, her little sharp object habit didn't do her any harm.

Cate October 26th, 2007 10:52:00 PM

Years ago my first dog Heidi (a dachshund) ate an entire set of 4 rattan placemats. At other times she ate MANY pairs of pantyhose, a dish towel, innumerable socks, and every toy she was ever given. But by far her favorite was my dad's boxer shorts. She ate them often, and with gusto. At one time she chewed a hole through the wicker hamper to get to them.

Shellie October 27th, 2007 12:11:00 AM

Okay, I have to join this to mention my first dachshund, Wilhelm. Willie consumed Mom's Christmas fruitcakes (had to bake a whole 'nuther batch) and 4 Gaines Burgers at once (I shudder to think about feeding my dog such crap these days). But his finest achievement, and timely for the season, was when Halloween fell on a Saturday. While we were at church the next morning, he overturned the table that held our heavy bags of Trick or Treat loot and ate 5 pounds of candy! He was just a tweenie, around 15 pounds, but when we returned home he was as wide as he was long. He kept throwing it up, and my mom dutifully followed him to prevent a repeat performance. We added soda to his water bowl; his tummy settled down after 8 messy hours. My current dachshund is an absolute angel by comparison. Must be my reward for having to wait 30 years to get another dog in my life!

Cindy October 27th, 2007 01:04:00 AM

Oh, how I can relate to this post and discussion!

Piglet, my now-movie-star female pit bull, was absolutely the eatin'-est puppy I've ever raised. She once decided that a 6-foot leather obedience leash was edible whilst I was napping on the sofa. All I found initially was the brass snap with about 6 inches of leather strap gnawed neatly off. The rest of the leash was gone. I figured she had hidden it. It wasn't until a few days had passed that I realized just where. Out of the blue, she began heaving. Not just heaving - ROARING. Minutes passed like hours and she at last vomited two sections about 8 inches long onto the beige carpet, permanently staining it with leather dye in the process. I was astonished, and not a little worried as most of the leash was as yet unaccounted for.

Over the next few days, she passed several similar sections in her stool and I thought all was well. Nope - nearly a week after the leash disappearance, she began heaving - roaring - again and it went on for about 20 minutes. I was certain she was bloating. Hubby was out with the car - no way to get her to the vet. I called a nearby friend to come fetch us, called the vet to tell them a bloat case was coming in and suddenly - it stopped. Just stopped. She was fine. She wanted to drink, even to eat. A few days later, the remainder of the leash appeared in a stool sample in the yard. Talk about a close call...

After that, I learned to keep a large quantity of hydrogen peroxide on hand and a 20cc syringe sans needle for quick intervention, as well as cotton balls and mineral oil for sharp things. I've had several routine interventions, but I'm still famous at one vet's office for an FYI call.

That day, I had been working in my second-story office. Came downstairs, and as I glanced across the den floor, I saw a white, U-shaped thing. Hmmm... Darned if it didn't look like a bra underwire, fabric still attached, but cup and straps gone. A first-floor search turned up another one just like it. Grabbed the peroxide, grabbed the puppy, applied peroxide and rushed out with her to the yard and waited. Once the heaving and roaring commenced, I needed a clipboard for the inventory. First she produced the missing bra pieces, but she was hardly finished surrendering her booty... Next came a pair of pantyhose. After a brief lull, she produced a pair of tube socks. Poor little dog - I dosed her again for good measure. I wanted to be certain she was empty. She was, and she was one sorry looking little pup, nothing but foam all over.

I called the vet's office just to let them know I was on bloat watch. I told them the story, and when I mentioned what she ate, I could hear the assistant trying to stifle her laughter. She put me on hold, auspiciously to take another call, and when she returned to the phone, I could hear the entire staff laughing hysterically.

Now you know why I call my household "Doyle's Dog Asylum." And yes, I still have the peroxide handy.

Tracy D October 27th, 2007 10:16:00 AM

At one time I had a shepard mix who ate literally anything, she was amazing. Time that sticks most in my memory is when I was almost done with an oil painting and was silly enough to leave the room to answer the phone. Upon returning I found the dog balenced precariously with her front paws on the easil frame and a licked clean canvas board in the place where my painting had been! Everyone is a critic I guess.

shadow October 27th, 2007 11:49:00 AM

The list of things my corgi has ate is unimaginable.
Flip flops (2 pairs)
stuffing from a leather couch
our bed frame
plastic kids' toys
lip gloss
newspapers/magazines/my work schedule

...dogs are just the funnest aren't they?

ashleigh October 27th, 2007 07:39:00 PM

Other items I've seen surgically removed from dogs include 5 pennies (the patient was a chihuahua) a bamboo wind chime, GI Joe's head, track shorts, and a brassiere. Pica is never boring. (-:

Laurel October 28th, 2007 09:58:00 AM

I would be careful about inducing vomiting for swallowing things. It might be a good idea to call the vet first to make sure it is ok. Some items might do some damage coming back up.

Marie October 29th, 2007 05:12:00 PM

The absolute worst thing I've ever heard coming out of a dog's GI tract? An entire cat. I don't have the details, but the report came directly from the vet involved through a quote in a DVM Newsmagazine article.

Dr. Patty Khuly October 31st, 2007 08:51:00 AM

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