You might be surprised if you look online to see the weirdest things household pets have eaten. The list is quite long for both dogs and cats. These little furry monsters can gobble up anything they put in their mouths: socks, pacifiers, toilet paper, an entire roll of poop bags, and so on. The list seems funny initially. However, some cases have turned from funny to serious. When emergency medical treatments end up being needed, the lives of these ravenous little eaters are threatened.
What to Be Careful Of
Suppose your pets unexpectedly experience discomfort and you have been noticing missing things. Your pet might have accidentally or deliberately swallowed something and might need to see a veterinarian. Sure, your household pets can naturally pass these or throw up the indigestible things they consumed. However, these things may often get lodged someplace in their gastrointestinal system.
Chewy Rubber Toys
Both cats and pets like the sensation of chewing rubber. It is known that veterinarian surgeons have discovered pacifiers and foam darts inside stomachs. Make sure that toys such as these are all accounted for.
Rags, Shoelaces, and Other Fabrics
Cats are suckers for long and stringy things. If you catch an end of a shoelace or anything similar, do not tug on it as this might lead to internal damage. Watch out for these as one end of these strings may be connected to a fish hook or a needle. On the other hand, canines can swallow entire socks, rags, and rope toys.
Bones and Small Rocks
These are not digestible! Although both can pass naturally, there are some cases where these collect inside the stomach and cause major damage like tearing and internal bleeding.
Poisonous Plants and Human Food
Suppose your pets are allowed to explore the outdoors, even more so in woody areas. In that case, there might be encounters with toxic plants. Pets also put in the effort to get to those leftovers, whether on tabletops or in the garbage. Food poisoning in dogs is more than just vomiting and diarrhea. They can experience seizures, anemia, and even temporary paralysis or weakening of muscles.
Contaminated Food, Containers, Etc.
Some pets help themselves to other animals’ food or perhaps to poop. If they are unfortunate, chances are, these may carry viruses or microorganisms that can infect them with a life-threatening illness.
Protecting Our Pets
Continue reading to know how we can give our pets the necessary safeguard.
Vaccinate and Medicate
It cannot be emphasized enough: get the necessary shots for kitten and pups. Illnesses such as feline herpesvirus can come from unclean water and food bowls and are extremely infectious within their litters. If they are secured with vaccines and parasite preventive medication, it may save their lives.
Know Your Emergency Vet Details
If your pet is notorious for these habits, ensure that emergency pet care contact numbers are on hand. Your pets may experience a distended stomach, lethargy, inability to eat, etc. Consult your veterinarian if instances of these occur.
Medical Help
In situations like these, the veterinarian will check your pets via ultrasound, x-ray, or an endoscopy. If it doesn’t solve itself naturally, surgery might be needed. For quick recovery after treatment, veterinary laser therapy for dogs and cats is advisable.
The Bottomline
We can not control what our pets eat all the time. We can pay more attention to their surroundings and be mindful of what they can reach. Constantly be ready for these incidents. These furry clowns may be lucky one time, but it is better to stay away from any kind of risks.
