Sometimes dogs will swallow a lot of toys that are only used for entertainment when they can play hard. What should an owner do if their dog eats something they shouldn't? After swallowing the foreign body, the dog developed vomiting and loss of appetite. Vomiting is caused by pyloric obstruction, gastric distension, and gastric irritation by foreign bodies. When there is a foreign body in the stomach, the appetite will change greatly. Some sick dogs have normal appetites, some don't like eating very much, and some are anorexic.

Once the dog eats something, the owner should send the dog to the pet hospital as soon as possible. Generally speaking, veterinarians will ask for detailed medical history, but many owners often do not know what their dogs have eaten. Most dogs that swallow foreign objects usually have no obvious abnormalities on abdominal palpation, but occasionally objects, such as ribs in the stomach, may be touched. Radiological tests can detect tumors or non-infectious objects in the stomach, but more often there will be no abnormalities on X-rays. The veterinarian will then recommend that the host consider a gastrointestinal barium meal or endoscopy.

If the foreign body can be passed out with the dog's vomiting, then you don't have to worry too much about other problems. However, the vast majority of foreign bodies require removal by endoscopy or surgery (laparotomy and gastrotomy). Both methods require the dog to be placed under general anesthesia, and the dog must remain free of dehydration and have normal plasma electrolyte concentrations before surgery. Prolonged vomiting in dogs can lead to dehydration, but hypovolemic shock rarely occurs unless gastric perforation occurs. Therefore, in order to keep the dog healthy, the owner must always pay attention to the dog's behavior.

1. Symptoms:

The main clinical symptoms of foreign bodies in the dog’s stomach are vomiting and loss of appetite. Vomiting occurs due to pyloric obstruction, gastric distension, and gastric irritation from foreign bodies. The appetite of different cases varies greatly when there is a foreign body in the stomach. Some sick dogs have normal appetites, while others are less fond of eating, and some are anorexic.

2. Diagnosis:

If you see what the animal has eaten, ask for a detailed medical history May be helpful in diagnosis. However, in the vast majority of cases, owners often have no idea what the animals have eaten, and just keep complaining about the animals' loss of appetite and vomiting. At this time, foreign bodies should be listed as one of the differential diagnoses. There are usually no obvious abnormalities when palpating the abdomen of most animals, but occasionally objects can be touched, such as a section of ribs in a dog's stomach or a large hair ball in a cat's stomach.

Radiology tests can detect tumors or non-infectious objects in the stomach, but in most cases, no abnormalities will be visible on a plain X-ray. The veterinarian may then consider radiography (gastrointestinal barium radiography) or endoscopy.

3. Treatment:

Most foreign bodies can be removed endoscopically or surgically (laparotomy and gastrotomy). Both methods require the animal to be under general anesthesia, and it is necessary to ensure that the animal is not dehydrated and that the plasma electrolyte concentration is normal before proceeding. Prolonged vomiting in dogs can cause dehydration, but hypovolemic shock rarely occurs unless gastric perforation occurs.