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To Eat or Not To Eat.
Our pet of the month is Roxy. Roxy is being honored this month, to teach all pet families a very important lesson. This lesson is that pets do not discriminate when it comes to eating. Puppies especially, usually have no idea that what they have found lying around is not food. Sometimes it smells good, sometimes it smells funky, but whatever it is, it must be swallowed whole. Across the years, I've seen dogs eat socks, panty hose, toilet paper, jewelry, feminine products, palm nuts, rubber and plastic toys. This past Christmas season, our honoree ate a Christmas bulb. When a pet eats something exotic, it's hard to tell right off it's going to be a serious problem. Sometimes the foreign object comes out. Unfortunately, sometimes they get stuck. Usually, we don't even know when a pet eats something they weren't supposed too, until serious symptoms occur, such as vomiting. Diarrhea may signal an upset stomach as well. That's why a doctor may recommend an x-ray, to check the digestive track for any abnormalities. It's not always definite that you'll see a foreign object on the radiograph, but if the pet seems to be worsening, it may need exploratory surgery to find it. In Roxy's case, the foreign object was clear, because it was metal. The clasp of the bulb showed clearly. Roxy needed to have it removed. The rest of the bulb was in pieces. Roxy is back to her puppy like self. Roxy is an example of many pets whose curiosity gets the best of them. This is why it is very important to puppy and pet proof your home. Keep small objects off the floor. Be aware of your pet's environment. Here are some things to avoid: plastic toys that break into small pieces, rubber as well, rawhide is ok for some pet's, but not for those that chew off large bits and swallow them whole, small balls that can become enlarged in the throat. String, especially dangerous for kitties, it gets tied up on the intestines. If you are going to allow chews, make sure they are the right size for your pet. A big dog might try to swallow a small bone whole and it may not digest easily. Throw away old toys that are sharp edged or broken. A thirsty dog may be tempted to drink mop water, or toilet water with detergents in it.
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