What happens when your dog swallows stuffing
Swallowing some stuffing isn’t always cause for alarm.
“A very small amount of stuffing likely will pass. It may not be as serious as a piece of ribbon or rope or string,” Dr. Lyon told The Dodo.
However, your dog’s prognosis depends on the amount of stuffing swallowed, and the size of your dog.
For example, if a tiny dog ate a large amount of stuffing from a toy, you’re going to want to call your vet, because it’s more likely that could result in an internal blockage.
Of course, sometimes it’s hard to tell how much they ate, so when in doubt, call your vet.
“Our primary concern with stuffing is … a large amount causing obstruction in the intestinal tract,” Dr. Lyon explained.
And if you’re concerned about it being toxic at all, there’s always a risk whenever your dog eats something that’s not food. But odds are if you’re buying toys from a reputable brand, the stuffing probably won’t be harmful in that way.
“Could it be toxic? Perhaps, but our primary concern would be the actual physical obstruction that a significant amount of stuffing might cause,” Dr. Lyon said.
If your dog is experiencing a gastrointestinal obstruction, she might experience symptoms like:
If you notice your pup exhibiting these signs, contact your vet right away. Your dog may need emergency surgery to remove the obstruction.
Can Dogs Eat Fluff From Toys?
Dogs should not eat the fluff found inside many dog toys or fluff from other items such as pillows, children’s toys, or furniture. These fillings are not designed to be safe or edible for dogs. You should not allow your dog to chew on and swallow fluff from toys.
Fluff from toys poses several risks to dogs, with the main concerns being choking or a digestive system blockage.
Dogs may also get pieces of stringy stuffing stuck in their mouths between their teeth.
Depending on the material and process used to make the stuffing, the dog could feel ill after eating toy fluff.
Some dogs love to shred and pull at the fluff from toys.
These dogs may need to be offered only toys that do not have any type of fluffy filling.
They will also need to be monitored around pillows and furniture or go through training to learn to leave these objects alone.
What to Do?
How you respond depends on the level of threat your dog is facing. Choking poses an immediate threat to your dog’s life and needs to be dealt with first. The issue of removing ingested stuffing from the stomach becomes a secondary worry when your dog is struggling to breathe.
We’re going to talk you through the process step by step, starting with the most pressing issue. Once you resolve one step you can move on to the next.
Living808 – What to do when your pet swallows an object
It doesn’t matter what the toy stuffing is made of. The ingestion of toy stuffing can be dangerous to dogs. How dangerous it is will depend on a number of factors such as the dog’s size and the amount of toy filling the dog ate.