Weird Stuff Dogs Eat

According to a recent newspaper article, an American pet insurer has released a list of the top ten things most commonly removed surgically from the stomachs of our beloved pets. (Your Grade Five book report was not on the list – so much for that old excuse.) Ingested items include batteries, underwear, socks, drywall, rubber bands, rocks, sticks, balls, and pagers.

When my Basset Hound, Annie, was young, she ate a goodly portion of a medical encyclopedia. I had thought, at the time, that it would have been ironic and fitting if that little snack made her sick.

It didn’t.

Once I was certain that Annie hadn’t been affected in the slightest by her latest gastronomic experiment, I could hardly wait to get to the dog park so I could one-up my fellow puppy owners. I thought that my story had finally topped everyone else’s stories about their dogs’ odd eating habits.

It didn’t.

I was shocked and properly impressed with the story told by the owners of a young Golden Retriever. Apparently their young dog had chewed up and swallowed a brand new, very expensive 35 mm camera.

Your vet may tell you that since most foreign objects are ingested by young dogs under two years of age, it’s important to “puppy-proof” your home by keeping an eye out for potential hazards.

Unfortunately, we have no way of anticipating every type of foreign object that may tantalize the taste buds of the family’s canine gourmand. If you suspect Sparky has munched on your DVD player, get him/her to the vet right away. Dogs who have ingested a foreign body will often lose their appetites and may vomit. The sooner you can get your dog to the vet for assessment, the faster you can prevent serious consequences.

Many times, we might not even realize that our dogs have eaten something they shouldn’t have. If your dog begins vomiting, drooling, refusing food, and having abnormal bowel movements, get to a vet.

And if your cell phone is missing, have someone phone your number or call it yourself from another phone. If your dog rings, you can only hope that she didn’t eat your car keys, too.