Is Your Dog's Obsession with Foreign Objects a Case of

When a dog ingests foreign objects, it can significantly disrupt their digestive and absorption processes. Common causes often stem from a deficiency in vitamins and trace minerals, which may lead to the dog inadvertently swallowing items during play. Another cause is the dog's rough eating habits; their esophagus can handle large and sharp objects, but sometimes, they swallow chunks of hard food, like bones, plastic, or nails, which can become trapped by the small pylorus or cause lacerations on the stomach wall. Additionally, dogs that lack human companionship might chew on items with their owner's scent, such as socks or hairpins, leading to accidental ingestion.

Feeding your dog a balanced diet with appropriate vitamins and trace minerals is essential. It's also crucial to keep your pet away from potential hazards to prevent them from ingesting foreign objects.

Treatment Options:

(1) Inducing Vomiting: This method is suitable for objects recently ingested that can be easily expelled through the mouth. You can administer apomorphine or lomotil (at a dosage of 1mg/kg body weight) via subcutaneous injection. For larger dogs, you can administer 3 to 6 ml/kg of 5% hydrogen peroxide orally, which should trigger a vomiting response.

(2) Facilitating Defecation: Some foreign objects may pass through the intestines on their own. If not, you can administer mineral oil or castor oil (5 to 10 ml per dose) and use an oilbased enema to lubricate the intestines and aid in the object's passage. However, this method is not effective for objects blocking the intestines or those that have adhered to the intestinal mucosa.

(3) Surgical Removal: If the above methods are ineffective, surgery may be necessary to remove the foreign object. The exact location of the object or whether it is moving backward will determine whether a gastric or intestinal incision is performed.

In this particular case, the dog ingested a pacifier, which is soft and nonirritating. Administering mineral oil can help facilitate its expulsion.