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.

Household cleaners, fertilizers, other substances such as antifreeze, snail bait and other pesticides, discarded chemical containers, cocoa mulch, blood meal, and so on should be stored safely away from pets at all times.

For organic types of snacks (fecal matter, dead animals): call your vet to discuss what you found/know about the ingestion. Watch your pet closely for any listlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite and call your vet immediately if anything out of the ordinary is noted.

Pets that consume dead rodents or other animals who have consumed rodenticides are at risk for experiencing the toxic effects as well. Please call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect this time of ingestion.

Becoming infected with intestinal parasites is another possibility. Speak to your veterinarian about regular fecal checks and parasite control if this is an issue with your pet. If this problem is occurring in the home environment, the best bet is to pick up fecal matter immediately to curb ingestion.

For toxin ingestion or exposure, call your veterinarian immediately. Some toxins, such as antifreeze, are immediately life-threatening, others take time for signs to develop. Call your veterinarian or Poison Control center for advice. There are pet-specific poison control centers such as National Animal Poison Control Center and Pet Poison Helpline that will able to assist you or your veterinarian with the case.

For inanimate object ingestion (sprinkler heads, socks, rocks, balls), call your veterinarian as soon as it happens to touch base. Each case is different, and while some items aren't an immediate emergency, others, such as a poison ingestion are. Always consult your vet to determine the best course of action. Possible problems include: obstruction or perforation (stomach or intestine), chronic 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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