Veterinary Q & A: Dietary Indiscretion

Just when you think you are taking the best care of your pets as possible, they find something icky to chew on! Why do dogs (and cats) eat the things they do? We may never know all the answers to this seemingly simple question. Probably because it smelled good, they were hungry, or just plain curious. Is it something you should be concerned about? Maybe.

Help! My dog just found something in the yard and was eating it before I could get it away from her!
The first thing to assess is if the item was organic (dead animal, manure, etc.) or something plastic or toxic. Possible sources for organic material -- cats or other dogs (or other predators, such as coyotes, if you live in a rural area) can leave their "hunted prize" in an area accessible to your pet. Non-organic material, such as antifreeze, discarded chemical containers, sprinkler heads, and so on should be stored safely away from pets at all times.

For organic types of snacks, it is usually OK to adopt a "wait and see" approach, watching your pet closely for any listlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite. Be on the alert for 48-72 hours and call your vet immediately if anything out of the ordinary is noted. It is also a good idea to note the date that pet ate the suspect food, in case of later developments, such as parasite infestation or other health problems.

For toxin ingestion or exposure, call your veterinarian immediately. Poison Control centers may also be able to help, but they are for human information. There is also a National Animal Poison Control Center that may be able to assist.

For inanimate object ingestion (sprinkler heads, rocks, balls), it is advisable to call your veterinarian when it happens to touch base. Each case is different, and while most aren't an immediate emergency (such as a poison ingestion), they can have life-threatening consequences in time. Possible problems include: obstruction or perforation (stomach or intestine), metal poisoning (due to ingested particles being digested/reacting with the body), and rectal tears.

My cat was playing with a string, then ate it. Should I just wait and see if it passes?
Cats and string do not mix, despite the popular image of cats playing happily with string! Same goes for other string-like items -- rubberbands (many cats, including one of mine, just love to eat rubberbands!), tinsel, Easter grass decorations, needle and thread, and window blind pulls. I even did surgery on one cat that consumed large amounts of rubber tubing! So the answer to this question is... call your vet as soon as you notice your cat ate the string.

Why does my dog eat grass?
This is an age-old question, one that I have never really seen a clear cut answer to. I think there are many possibilities: they like the taste of grass (especially the soft new grass of spring), they are hungry, perhaps not feeling well, and eating something to see if that helps (kind of like humans do sometimes!). Most dogs do best with 2 or more small feedings a day rather than one large feeding. A commercial diet or well-prepared home diet should not be lacking in essential nutrients. If they have an empty stomach, bile can reflux (flow back up in to the stomach from the intestine) and this is irritating. This can cause vomiting of clear, yellow fluid.

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Text: Copyright © Janet Tobiassen Crosby DVM.
Photo: Half in the bag © klynslis on Flickr
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