What to Do If Your Dog Eats Plastic or Plastic Bag

The amount of plastic in an average home is huge. Hence, it would not come as a surprise if the dogs choke on them occasionally. Some dogs eat plastic by mistake while they are getting themselves to eat something delicious. They might find a small piece of plastic which can be quite intriguing to them and thus they decide to nibble on them.

Plan of Action

It does not seem to be a problem when the plastic is small as it passes through your dog’s system. However, in other cases it may lead to health problems. Some of the dogs even die after eating plastic. Listed below are some dangers due to ingestion of plastics by your dogs and symptoms along with it. The article discusses the things which can be done during these situations as well.

  1. Access the Condition of Your Dog: If your dog is breathing in a proper manner and has not choked on it. It is a good sign. Choking is the most dangerous thing which can happen to dogs. If you see that your dog is choking on plastic, call for a vet immediately. Watch the posture of your dog if it is lying in unusual ways and has pain in the abdomen. It is better if you rush to a vet hospital immediately. These symptoms suggest that there is a small piece of plastic stuck in your dog’s throat. It might be possible that it has eaten the plastic couple of hours back and would require immediate assistance from a vet to help him with the situation.
  2. Open The Mouth Of The Dog To Remove The Plastic: Regardless of the amount of plastic your dog has eaten. If you don’t want it to swallow any more plastic. Make sure you check his teeth or the roof of the mouth to see if there is any plastic stuck. If you are not comfortable with the situation. Visit a vet immediately. It’s important that the dog’s mouth is free of plastic.
  3. Recreate The Scene: If you have confirmed that your dog is not in much danger, try to find out how much plastic has your dog consumed. It is important that you determine that as it creates a big difference when the vet is checking your dog’s situation. Keep the things handy which you think have been consumed by your dog. It can give you an idea of the kind of ingredients your dog has consumed such as plastic containers and the content in the plastic container.
  4. Contact Your Vet And Explain The Situation: As you have now understood that your dog is in pain and distress and you have confirmed that it has eaten plastic you should contact your vet immediately. Your vet is the person who will be helping you out by judging your dog’s condition and will proceed with the treatment which can help your dog to gain his health back. However, if your dog has eaten your sandwich which was wrapped in a plastic bag and still is roaming around like a normal pet. Then in this case your pet may just ask you to keep an eye on it.

What Dangers Does Plastic Represent for Dogs?

Plastic can cause many problems in your dogs. Some of the most noted issues which can arise can be as below:

  • Plastic causes dogs to choke if it is stuck in its mouth or throat.
  • Plastic can also trigger a blockage in the intestine; hence food and water cannot pass through its system.
  • Plastic pieces may injure your dog’s mouth, throat, stomach, intestines and even rectum.
  • Plastic may be coated with substances that are toxic which can lead to poisoning in your dog’s body.
  • Plastic may damage the teeth of the dog.

It is not very easy to make generalizations about the plastic, as there might be different forms which can be indigestible. This is the reason why plastic can cause an environmental hazard.

Symptoms That Dogs Show After Plastic Eating

The plan of action which was written earlier in the article should allow you to determine the correct course of action in a situation where a dog has eaten plastic. Below are some symptoms you might notice.

  • Lethargy.
  • Abdominal bloating.
  • Strange body postures.
  • Vomiting – especially if it occurs repeatedly.
  • Panicked behavior.
  • Incessant crying or whining.
  • Diarrhea – especially if it occurs repeatedly or contains blood.

Should You Make Your Dog Vomit?

Many pet owners think it would be alright to induce vomiting in dogs when they have eaten plastic. This actually is not a good idea. The plastic while passing through the esophagus, can get stuck there and choke on it. In general, it is not a good idea to induce vomiting unless you suggest you do the same.

Veterinary Treatment for Ingesting Plastic

As soon as you arrive at the vet’s office, the staff will check the status of the dog and ask you about the history of the dog. They might want to ask you about the plastic which the dog has ingested.

Your vet might use imaging technology to check for clues about the plastic location inside the dog’s body. It may be necessary to insert the endoscope inside the dog’s body through the mouth or the rectum.

If the plastic needs to be removed there are a few options which your vet can opt for to remove the plastic However, mostly they use the endoscope a thin flexible camera which has a clip like attachment that can grab the plastic inside the body.

Surgical removal is required sometimes in these cases to help prevent infection in your dog’s body. Once the plastic is removed the vets would prescribe medicines which are antibiotics to prevent infection. You should adjust the way you have provided food and water to your dog as there might be intestinal damage.

Will You See the Plastic in Your Dog’s Poop?

If your dog only eats a small piece of plastic then it might pass through the body and can be found inside the poop.

 

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