Dog Ate Rubber Ball

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Immediate Care for Swallowed Objects

If you know your dog swallowed an object, call your veterinarian immediately and take your dog to the vet’s office as soon as possible. The doctor may be able to induce vomiting or retrieve the object from the stomach before serious problems set in.

What happens when a dog swallows a bone, or other ‘foreign body’?

Most dogs, especially puppies, will occasionally swallow something they shouldn’t such as balls, chicken bones or stones. Some objects may be small enough to pass through their system without causing any problems but others may get stuck and your dog could become seriously ill quite quickly.

Treatment may be needed if your dog eats a foreign body so please contact your vet as soon as possible, or, out of hours, find your nearest Vets Now pet emergency clinic or Vets Now 24/7 hospital. Has your dog swallowed a foreign object?

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My Dog Swallowed a Rubber Band—Now What?

The answer could depend on how big your dog is and the size of the rubber band, and how many he ate. Rubber bands come in many sizes, and in small or large packages. It’s common to drop a rubber band, on the floor and never find it, though your fur baby may eventually happen upon it!

For medium- to large-sized dogs, swallowing one small rubber band probably won’t cause a problem. The small rubber band will likely just pass through your fur baby’s digestive system with no problem.

However, if your dog is a smaller dog, then the rubber band could cause a choking hazard or even become lodged in his intestines, causing an intestinal blockage. This is a medical emergency, so you’ll need to call the vet immediately.

For larger dogs, if they eat a large number of rubber bands, this can also cause them to become ill and/or develop an intestinal blockage. The ball, or bits of the ball can also pose a choking hazard. Again, if you know the dog has eaten a lot of rubber bands, you’ll need to call the vet immediately, as the bands could cause an intestinal blockage.

What are the dangers of a foreign body in a dog’s stomach?

Foreign objects can cause a physical obstruction due to their size and shape, normally at the outflow of the stomach or in the small intestine. If the foreign object is chewed up, the sharp edges of plastic or bone can pierce the intestine, causing peritonitis (an infection in the abdomen).

Socks, pants, needles and thread and other materials can cause a physical obstruction if they ball up, or can unravel and cause a linear foreign body that can lead to the small intestine bunching up and being cut through like cheese wire.

FAQ

What happens if my dog eats rubber ball?

Some pups can even swallow balls whole. Moa and Nugget both ended up at our emergency hospital with vomiting. Nugget´s rubber piece had lodged at the very start of his small intestine causing acute vomiting within 24 hours.

Can dogs poop out rubber?

He may vomit up the rubber on his own, or it may pass through in his stool without any problems. Signs of an obstruction would include repeated episodes of vomiting, not wanting to eat, acting lethargic, and not having bowel movements.

Can a dog pass a bouncy ball?

Since Shadow is a good sized dog if the ball was small it is possible that it will pass through her GI tract without causing any problems. However, there is always the chance that foreign material can cause an obstruction in the GI tract; this would require surgery to remove the ball.