If your dog ate an earring, you need to call the veterinarian as soon as possible. A foreign object like an earring in the digestive tract could cause severe damage leading to life-threatening consequences.
Dog Ate an Earring: Why It’s a Medical Emergency
If your dog ate an earring, consider it a medical emergency. All swallowed objects should be considered a problem because a dog’s body isn’t meant to have foreign objects inside of it.
The biggest problem when a dog ate an earring is that it can penetrate the dog’s gastrointestinal tract causing internal bleeding. There’s also a chance of zinc toxicity. Zinc poisoning from earrings that have zinc in them can be life-threatening.
You should NOT wait to see if your dog vomits or poops the earrings out. By the time you realize your dog hasn’t gotten rid of it naturally, it could have already caused irreversible damage.
Why Dogs Eat Earrings and Other Items
Earrings are a common item dogs find and swallow. Since they are owner-scented objects, they want to put them in their mouth to be close to them. Unfortunately, it’s not a good idea because of the risk it poses to the inside of the body.
Dog Ate Earring: Now What?
When you take your dog to the vet, the veterinarian will induce vomiting. NEVER try to do this at home, as it can cause your dog to become much more ill than you intended.
If your dog doesn’t vomit or the earring cannot be found in the vomit, the vet will do an x-ray to locate the small foreign object inside of the body. This will reveal if the earring is in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract.
If the earring is in your pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the vet will do another scan to make sure there isn’t an intestinal obstruction. If there’s a sign of distress from the earring in the dog’s digestive tract, the vet will have to perform surgery to remove the small object.
Dog Insurance Pays for Injuries
Many pet owners do not want to invest in dog insurance until they experience the costs of an illness or injury with their pup. This is a situation in which many dog owners wish they had a dog insurance policy.
Those who have pet insurance only have to pay the deductible for any treatment performed after dog ate an earring.
Dog Ate Earring: Will You Get Your Earring Back
We know you don’t want to ask this question to your vet friend at risk of sounding insensitive, which is why we wanted to cover it here.
Will you get your precious pearl, diamond, or stud earring back if your dog ate it?
It depends, but in most cases, yes. You may be able to retrieve your earring from the vomit or your vet may have it for you after surgery. If the earring makes its way out of your dog’s intestines and into the feces, you’ll have to sift through it to get it. We’ll let you decide if it’s worth it.
Other Common Items that Pose a Risk
Dogs often eat small foreign objects, especially puppies. In addition to earrings, it’s important to make sure your dog does not have access to the following:
- Rope Toys – Yes, this popular toy for dogs is actually dangerous.
- Rawhide Chew – This has received media attention for a reason. Dogs often swallow big pieces of it and the rough edges can do a number of a dog’s digestive tract.
- Paper Clips – They seem harmless but those two ends can puncture the GI tract easily.
- Corn Cobs – Dogs love to chew on them, but they are not safe for a dog in many ways. The stomach has a hard time digesting it, and any tiny pieces can damage the GI tract.
- Ribbons – Ribbons are popular during the holidays, and can quickly end up down the throat and into the stomach. Ribbons don’t poke the intestines, but then can wrap around them and cut through them.
- Strings – Just like ribbons, strings can end up around the intestines and end up causing serious issues.
- Bamboo Skewers – These are just like sticks, which are dangerous to the inside of a dog’s mouth, stomach, and GI tract.
How to Prevent Small Objects from Making It Into your Dog’s Mouth
The best thing you can do for your fur baby is to train him/her not to eat random items in your home. If you’re often concerned about your dog swallowing objects around the house and you’ve tried to say, “NO” when trying to get something out of your dog’s mouth, then you may want to consider seeking professional help from a dog trainer.
Dog training may help you and your dog finally put an end to the crisis of swallowed objects.
Call the Vet When Your Dog Ate an Earring
If your dog ate an earring, call the vet immediately. Sharp objects can pierce your dog’s intestines causing intestinal obstruction. There’s also a chance of zinc poisoning. You don’t want your fur baby suffering the complications of having foreign objects inside the stomach or GI tract. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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