What Should I Do If My Dog Ate Plastic?

Now would someone who loves dogs give them plastic, party plate to eat from? No, no, no, a person with the interest of a dog in mind would not do such a thing.

The dog may eat the food and the plastic plate. This would cause the dog to choke. If not caught at the right time, your dog could die. Only a cold person with limited knowledge of canines would do such a thing.

I often see commercials on television of turtles and other sea creatures eating plastic wrappers that float in the sea after they get thrown off boats or cruisers by humans.

 

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The Dangers of Plastic For Dogs

• Possible damage to your dog’s teeth from chewing a hard plastic toy left on the floor.
• Possible choking from a plastic object blocking the passage to the stomach.
• Possible damage to your dog’s mouth from the rough edges of the plastic object that was not meant for any dog to eat.
• Possible damage to your dog’s throat from the plastic object being forcibly swallowed because the dog may be scared.
• Possible lack of ability to breathe if the head is stuck in a plastic bag.
• Possible suffocation from a plastic bag over the head for too long and the owner not noticing for more than five hours.
• Possible damage to your dog’s esophagus from the plastic object being in the first stage of the digestion of your dog.
• Possible damage to your dog’s stomach from the plastic object being in the stomach and the muscles of the stomach attempting the second stage of digestion.
• Possible damage to your dog’s intestine from the fact that the object did not change and therefore the intestine cannot properly undergo the third stage of digestion.
• Possible damage to your dog’s anus from the fact that the object is ejected at the final stage of digestion.

 

Just In Case Your Dog Chews and Swallows Plastic

You may be thinking to yourself, my dog will never swallow plastic. I am a very careful owner. I love dogs too much to allow harm to come to any dog at all. It may not come from you but from a visitor to your home. Your child may leave a favorite toy out where your dog can chew it.

  

You Need to Look for Clues

Look at your dog. How is his behavior different from any other day? Do you see and partially eaten plastic object?

Is there any plastic object missing from your child’s toy box? Is your dog’s belly distended? Rub your hand over your dog’s body and check for a reaction. Note the answers to all the above questions in notepad to pass on to your vet.

 

The First Point of Entry

For digestion to occur, your dog has to eat. Open your dog’s mouth and examine his teeth and as far as you can see. If there are any small pieces of plastic present in his mouth or between, kindly take them out with tender care. These can be used for evidence when you take your dog to the veterinarian.

 

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Where the Event Happened

Take a walk around a familiar playing area. Look for items that may have been swallowed. Check with your children and find out if any of them is missing a plastic toy.

Take note of what may have caused your dog to chew and perhaps swallow any plastic object. This information will also assist in the veterinarian’s ability to save your dog’s life.

 

Contact Your Veterinarian

I am hoping that you have your veterinarian on speed dial. It is now time to use that feature on your cell phone.

Call your veterinarian and in a calm voice explain what you found out. Take the notes that you have written and read them to your veterinarian. Listen to the instructions that you will be given and follow them closely.

 

Training My Dog to Avoid Eating Plastic

First of all, check to find out if your dog has any medical causes to chew stuff that are not food, like anxiety.

Another cause could be parasites; another could be nutritional deficiencies. Whenever your dog displays negative behavior, use negative reinforcement. Take away the object and tell your dog, “Bad dog!”

 

Whenever your dog displays positive behavior, use positive reinforcement. Pat your dog and give him a treat. You can also say, “Good dog.”

 

Check: What Are Human Foods Dogs Can And Can’t Eat?

 

Chew Toys

This chewable wooden toy is suitable for your dog as it does not shed splinters when your pet chews on it.

It has a nice mesquite flavor that will keep your dog busy for a long time.

 

This toy comes in four different sizes and is quite durable.

Your pet will be in no danger with this toy.

 

Food or Trash?

If you need any assistance in training your pet, there is a manual that can help.

The name of this manual is “The Puppy Training Handbook: How to Raise the Dog of Your Dreams“.

 

This book can be bought in paperback or downloaded as an audiobook or on your kindle.

Its author is Kaelin Munkelwitz. She has compiled her thousands of hours of experience into this comprehensive guide to teach you all you need to know about training your dog.

 

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This Has Been Most Helpful

Have you enjoyed reading this article? Is there any sub-heading that has been most helpful? Let me know in the comments section of this article.

Feel free to share with dog-lovers and those who visit the homes of dogs with very limited knowledge of dogs. You just might save a dog’s life.

 

In your experiences with your pet, have you any other valuable information to share. Please do so in the comments column as well.

 

Further Readings

• Plastic and Your Pet

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