Do I Need to See the Vet or Go to the Emergency Animal Hospital?
Pet owners who attempt to treat this at home won’t want to write off the possibility of taking their dog to a vet or an emergency animal center until they’ve collected all of the shards that make up a toothpick.
Not everyone agrees that this is a condition that you can treat at home, however. Noted veterinarian Joanna Woodnutt has opined that any dog who has swallowed a toothpick should be taken to an animal hospital or vet’s office as soon as possible.
It might be a good idea to call your vet as soon as you’ve noticed that your dog has eaten a toothpick, since there’s a good chance that it will become lodged into their abdomen and then start to fester. Vets might recommend endoscopic removal or, alternatively, they may authorize use of a surgical procedure to pick the toothpick out of their intestines.
At times, a vet might also advocate what’s known as a wait and watch approach. This isn’t much different from observing your dog at home, but since your animal would be watched inside of a hospital there would be immediate care on hand in case anything happens.
Swallowed a Toothpick What Do I Do
The first thing you should do is prevent your dog – and any other opportunistic pets – from eating any more toothpicks. This usually means removing them from the area and clearing up any spills.
Do Not Try To Induce Vomiting
A lot of dog owners suggest inducing vomiting if your dog has ingested a foreign object. But, remember that, in the case of toothpicks, you should avoid this method.
Toothpicks have extremely pointed edges. So, if you try to induce vomiting and the toothpick comes out of the esophagus, the sharpened edges may cause wounds and hurt your dog.
Living808 – What to do when your pet swallows an object
Even the most careful pet parents will have to deal with their dog eating something they’re not supposed to eat at some point in time.
If your dog swallowed a whole toothpick, it’s better to call your vet immediately because toothpicks are very dangerous for your dog, just like they are for humans, and require immediate treatment.