What if my dog ate a dirty diaper? A Comprehensive Guide

Cloth Diapers Are Also Dangerous For Dogs

We’ve primarily been talking about disposable diapers, but reusable diapers are also dangerous for dogs.

Dogs probably don’t eat cloth diapers as often as they do disposable diapers, but it does occasionally happen.

What if my dog ate a dirty diaper?

Reusable or cloth diapers may not be made with superabsorbent polymers, but they’re still made of absorbent fabrics.

This means they can absorb fluids from your dog’s digestive tract, swell, and cause obstructions. They may even cause abrasions to your dog’s throat or intestines (not to mention his butt when it’s on its way out).

Additionally, safety pins and other closures used with cloth diapers present an obvious danger to your pet. Hopefully, any safety pins or clips swallowed by your dog will remain closed and simply pass through his digestive tract, but if the safety pins open, they could easily cause serious injuries and complicate the removal or passage of the diaper.

Do Diapers Represent Any Other Dangers For Dogs?

The absorbent material contained inside diapers represents the most serious health threat to your dog, but there are a few other ways diapers can cause problems too.

For example, the adhesive closures attached to most diapers can also become stuck in your dog’s digestive tract. They could also become stuck to your dog’s fur, although this is usually not a terribly serious problem (a little soap and warm water should help you pull the closure free).

Another potential problem is the poop itself.

Human feces is full of bacteria (it is more than half bacteria by weight, once you remove the water), and this includes some that may make your dog sick. Adult dogs have pretty robust immune systems, so this isn’t likely to make your dog seriously ill, but it may cause vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms.

However, some dogs may require antibiotics to help clear any bacterial infection they contract from the poop.

Should I Worry If My Dog Ate A Diaper?

If you think your dog just ate a diaper of any kind, it’s time to contact your veterinarian.

Diaper consumption in dogs may just seem like a gross interest for some canine friends, but it is much more than a disgusting habit.

Diapers pose a serious health risk to the curious dogs in our life.

Diapers ranging from human diapers to dog diapers are made of material that our dog’s cannot digest, leading to an array of serious complications if your dog happens to consume one.

If your dog dives into a diaper of any kind, it’s time to reach out to your vet immediately for further guidance.

My Dog Ate a Diaper, What Should I Do? | Wag!

If you notice or suspect that your dog has eaten a diaper (in whole or in part), you’ll want to call your vet immediately. … Your vet may want to make your dog throw up or perform a procedure called a gastric lavage to “wash out” your pet’s stomach.