If your dog or cat has swallowed something they shouldn’t, the next few hours are far more important than most people realise. In this video, Dr Ebeneze from Takurua Vets explains how vets decide what to do next based on what was eaten, when it happened, and whether symptoms have started.
If we see a pet early enough, we may be able to safely induce vomiting to bring the item back up. In other cases, if the object is likely to pass, we may monitor closely. But if symptoms develop - especially vomiting, loss of appetite, or lethargy - we need to investigate quickly using abdominal x-rays, ultrasound, and sometimes blood tests. The big concern is a gastrointestinal obstruction, because once a bowel obstruction is confirmed it becomes a race against time. If medical management doesn’t resolve things, surgery may be needed to safely remove the obstruction.
00:00 Why the next few hours matter
00:08 What determines the next step
00:15 When we can induce vomiting
00:22 When monitoring may be appropriate
00:28 Symptoms that trigger urgent investigation
00:36 X-rays, ultrasound, and blood tests
00:44 Looking for gastrointestinal obstruction
00:49 Why obstruction is a race against time
01:02 When surgery becomes the next step
01:14 When to get your pet checked urgently
If your dog or cat has swallowed something they're not meant to, the next few hours is much more important than most people would realise.
Because what we do next would be determined by what they've eaten, when it happened and whether they are showing any symptoms.
So if we see them quite early, we may be able to induce vomiting to remove the item they swallowed safely.
And if we think it is something that might pass through naturally, we may choose to just monitor them for a little while.
But if they develop any symptoms like vomiting or inappetence or if they become lethargic, that's when we really need to start investigating.
So what that means is we would do some abdominal x-rays, we may choose to do an abdominal ultrasound or even run some blood tests.
What we look for when we do these tests is signs of gastrointestinal obstruction.
Because if a bowel obstruction is confirmed, then it does become a race against time to remove that obstruction.
Because you only have a short window in which you can do that safely before a pet becomes really unwell from an obstructed gut.
So if we confirm a foreign body obstruction or if they just don't get any better from medical management, then we may choose to go to surgery as the next step to safely remove the obstruction.
So if you think your pet has eaten something they're not meant to and if they are showing any symptoms of vomiting or lethargy or they're just off their food, it's really important to get them checked by a vet.
Talk to us about a possible foreign body or obstruction
If your pet may have swallowed something they should not have, or has started vomiting, going off food, or becoming lethargic afterward, our team can help you work out what to do next.
Use this for the broader digestive guide around swallowed objects, vomiting and testing.
Read the companion article for what to watch and when to call.
Use this if your pet may need urgent care now.
Watch how vomiting can become urgent.
Imaging may help when a swallowed object or obstruction is suspected.
