Dogs are scavengers by nature and their strong teeth and jaws mean they can chew all sorts of things, including plastic! Sometimes the plastic will have contained something tasty like food, but often it’s just that your dog got a bit carried away with playing! Either way, if your dog has eaten plastic, you’re probably worried. We’re going to talk about the risks of eating plastic, when to worry, and what to do next.
Why Would a Dog Swallow a Plastic Bottle Cap?
There are several reasons that might trigger your dog to swallow weird objects, such as a bottle cap, a highlighter, or even an aluminum can. This includes the dog’s general instinctive behavior of chewing objects in order to discover them, or it might be caused by more profound abnormal origins. These include a problem with their nutrition, stress, or a minor issue like boredom.
Generally, dogs are curious creatures that like to discover everything by chewing and eating them. You might notice that even though you just fed your dog, they might continue to chew on the weirdest objects found. This does not necessarily mean that there’s a pathological problem risking your dog’s health, rather than a normal common attitude exhibited by dogs.
In some other cases, this behavior might actually be caused by some malnutrition issues. This means that you might not be providing the correct nourishment that supplies your pet with the necessary elements, thus causing this abnormal behavior. Additionally, some stressful factors, such as anxiety, fear, and the presence of other pets in the house, may cause the emergence of this attitude as a compensatory reaction.
What Happens if A Dog Swallows a Bottle Cap?
Technically, if your dog swallows a bottle cap, you need to think about all the tracts that this foreign object is going to pass through. Firstly, the cap will pass through the mouth, possibly causing damage to the oral mucosa. It might cause scratches, wounds, or even bleeding, thus making your dog prone to infection; these complications might occur throughout the esophagus as well.
Secondly, the passage of the plastic cap through the stomach and intestines might cause disturbance to these organs. This foreign object will probably cause intestinal obstruction, this leading to the accumulation of food and water in that area. This complication depends on the size of the bottle cap and how your dog’s intestinal tract deals with it.
If an intestinal obstruction does occur, several signs can be seen to detect the presence of this issue. These include vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal bloating, which can be indicators of a serious gastrointestinal problem. Therefore, the consequences of this unfavorable behavior can vary from mild to severe, depending on several factors.
Bottle Caps Can be Dangerous
Bottle caps of any type—plastic or metal—can be dangerous is swallowed. Either type of bottle cap can just pass on through a dog’s digestive system, and then come out in the dog’s poop.
However, bottle caps can still pose a choking hazard or could become stuck in a dog’s intestines, causing an intestinal obstruction.
FAQ
What happens if dog eats plastic cap?
Can a dog pass a plastic bottle cap?
Can a dog’s stomach acid dissolve plastic?
How long does it take for a dog to get sick after eating plastic?