Foreign Bodies in Pets: Signs, Emergencies, and What To Do
Much like children, pets are curious, sometimes mischievous and often try to eat things they shouldn’t. They explore with their mouths and paws, but their intrigue and investigation can lead to a foreign body, which means an object inside their body that doesn’t belong there. Fast action is key because objects can block the gut, damage tissue, or choke a pet in minutes.
Dogs and cats face different risks; for example, dogs often like to gulp socks and corn cobs. Cats love to hunt string, ribbon, and tinsel. Knowing the early signs your pet may have ingested a suspicious item, and when to see your vet, helps not only your pet but also your bank balance.
What is a foreign body, and why is it risky?
A foreign body is any object that enters a place in the body where it doesn’t belong. It can sit in the stomach, block the intestines, lodge in the nose or airway, or embed in the eye, ear, or skin.
Foreign bodies can cause harm in various ways. They may block normal flow, scrape and inflame tissue, or even pierce, tear, or create holes, potentially leading to further complications or infections. A total blockage in the gut prevents food from moving along the tract, which is a life-threatening situation and requires veterinary assistance, usually surgery to remove it. Sharp items raise the risk of internal bleeding and abscesses.
Foreign bodies, such as string and tinsel, are a special danger. One end can anchor under the tongue or in the stomach, while the rest tries to pass. The gut bunches up, the string tightens, and it can saw through the intestines. This needs urgent surgery, much like the gut blockage in a dog who ate a sock.
Common foreign bodies in dogs
Dogs tend to explore and swallow big, soft, or chewy items.
Socks and underwear: soft, easy to swallow, high blockage risk
Corn cobs and peach stones: wedge in the small intestine, hard to move
Rawhide and cooked bones (chicken, for example): swell, splinter, and cause tears
Plastic toy parts and chew squeakers: sharp edges, choking risk
Rocks and sticks: heavy, abrasive, high risk for mouth and stomach injuries
Batteries: chemical burns
Sewing needles and fishhooks: puncture and migrate, often need surgery
Certain factors can increase the risk of your dog acquiring a foreign body, for example, young inquisitive dogs, breeds that gulp food, fetch-obsessed dogs, bored and under-stimulated pets, and a lack of exercise. Holidays also add risk, since trash and decorations are everywhere.
Common foreign bodies in cats
Cats are hunters of small, wiggly and dangling things. This is not an exhaustive list, but gives an idea of the common culprits.
String, yarn, ribbon, dental floss, tinsel: high risk for linear obstruction.
Hair ties and rubber bands: easy to swallow, may swallow multiple ones at the same time
Small toy parts: bells, beads, feathers, fabric bits.
Sewing needles with thread: the needle pierces, the thread saws the gut.
Where foreign bodies get stuck
Objects can become stuck anywhere within the body or on the body, and sometimes they can end up in obscure places! However, the ones listed below are frequently seen in the hospital.
Stomach and intestines: socks, corn cobs, peach stones, rawhide, hair ties
Airway/throat: balls, chews, chunks of food; choking hazard
Nose: foxtails and grass seeds cause sudden sneezing and bleeding.
Eyes: Plant seeds, thorns or debris can scratch the cornea and cause ulcers.
Ears: grass seeds often burrow within the ear and cause pain, shaking, and discharge/infection
Paws and skin: thorns, burrs, splinters, and glass shards can all create wounds or abscesses
Vets remove objects using a variety of methods, and it will depend entirely on the type of object ingested and when the incident happened. They may induce vomiting, use endoscopy, flushing, or perform surgery. Typical costs vary by region and the size of your pet. It is worth discussing these with your vet and insurance company as soon as possible to avoid surprises.
Signs of a foreign body
Pets may show different signs and problems depending on what the object is, when it was ingested, and where it has become lodged.
Signs of intestinal blockage in dogs and cats:
Repeated vomiting or retching, with or without food
Drooling and lip licking that won’t stop
Loss of appetite or lack of interest in favorite treats
Abdominal pain or tension, restlessness.
Diarrhea, no stool, or straining
Weakness, hiding, or a hunched posture
Bloated
Abdomen may feel like a tight drum
Signs of choking, mouth and nasal issues:
Gagging, pawing at the mouth, sudden panic
Loud, harsh breathing or high-pitched squeaks
Blue, gray, or very pale gums and tongue
Coughing fits or wheezing
Sneezing attacks, head shaking, one-sided nosebleed
Foul odor from the mouth or nose.
Signs of a foreign body in the eye, ear or paws:
Eyes: squinting, repeated blinking, heavy tearing, discharge, rubbing, light sensitivity, a visible seed or scratch.
Ears: head tilt, hard shaking, pawing at one ear, a sudden yelp when touched, brown, bloody, or bad-smelling discharge.
Paws or skin: limping, constant licking of one spot, small holes that ooze, a visible thorn, burr, or splinter.
What to do if you suspect a foreign body
If you suspect your pet has any type of foreign body, it is always better to be safe than sorry and call your vet, as the situation can rapidly change for the worse and can quickly turn into an emergency.
If you notice any of these signs, book in with your vet right away.
Trouble breathing, choking, blue or pale gums.
Nonstop vomiting, retching or vomiting with blood.
A swollen, painful abdomen.
Collapse, extreme weakness, or severe pain.
String under the tongue or from the anus.
Known ingestion of a battery, needle, fishhook, sharp bone, or corn cob.
The pet ate a toxin with the object, like medication or chemicals.
Foreign bodies in pets are common, and fast action can either save their life or lessen the damage caused by it. If you suspect, notice signs, red flags or missing items in your house, ring your vet for advice.
Finally, it is always helpful to have everyone in the household try and keep the home safe and nosy pets out of bother. The following suggestions may be helpful.
Picking up socks, corn cobs, skewers, fruit stones and trash right after use
Store string, tinsel, floss, and sewing equipment in closed containers
Choose size-appropriate toys without small parts or loose threads
Use puzzle feeders, daily play or dog walkers to cut boredom
Crate or confine after parties and during cleanups
Not throwing sticks
Annaliese Morgan
Annaliese qualified as a veterinary nurse from Edinburgh and went on to attain a diploma in advanced veterinary nursing in surgery from London. Throughout this time, she worked in both small and mixed veterinary practices and gained head nurse status. Responsible for training other veterinary nurses she also ran the nursing department, nurse clinics, and patient care protocols.
She has looked after 1,000s of patients and owners and created new higher standard nursing regimes, whilst specializing in surgery and anesthesia. After being asked to co-author multiple veterinary nursing textbooks, Annaliese continued to write for further mainstream publications in the UK and USA and after twenty-plus years in both the veterinary and pet care professions, she hung up her scrub suit and now writes full-time.