Common Foreign Object Ingestions in Cats and Dogs: Veterinary Insights
Foreign object ingestion in cats and dogs is a very common situation encountered in veterinary clinical practice. Which items are most likely to cause choking? What symptoms appear when a pet swallows a foreign object? And how should such cases be managed?
Wang Meow Planet has specially invited professional surgeon veterinarian Dr. Gao Qi to provide an in-depth understanding of these common issues.
What Are the Symptoms When Pets Swallow Foreign Objects?
Pet owners, beware of your furry friends biting and swallowing inappropriate items! When cats and dogs ingest foreign objects, the most typical symptom is vomiting. It often presents as persistent vomiting, vomiting everything they eat, and even vomiting after drinking water. Sometimes, pets may vomit even if they haven't eaten anything. However, the timing and severity of these symptoms can vary.
Not every dog or cat will show classic symptoms. If the foreign object doesn't completely block the digestive tract, symptoms might appear later or be milder. Besides vomiting, common signs include abdominal pain, drooling, decreased energy and appetite, and weakness. If the foreign object causes digestive tract perforation or vomiting leads to aspiration pneumonia, the pet might develop fever and rapid breathing.
If you notice any of these signs in your pets, it is important to seek veterinary care promptly to avoid serious complications.
What Are the Most Dangerous Foreign Objects? Commonly Affected Groups and Types
It is a big concern for pet owners when cats and dogs accidentally swallow foreign objects. This issue is especially prevalent in young pets, who tend to have strong appetites and high curiosity, making them a high-risk group for ingesting foreign bodies. On average, dogs that ingest foreign objects are about 2.5 years old, while cats are around 1.8 years old. Although young animals are more commonly affected, pets of any age can experience this problem.
Clinical cases reveal a wide variety of foreign objects that pets swallow, for example: puzzle mats, plastic slippers, needles and thread, bone fragments, toys, inappropriate dental chews, fruit pits, torn clothes, fishhooks, electric wires, or clumps of hair. The types are extremely diverse, and almost anything in the environment that a cat or dog can swallow is a potential hazard.
Among all foreign objects, linear foreign bodies such as threads, shoelaces, hemp ropes, or fishing lines are particularly dangerous. Cats are at much higher risk than dogs for these types of cases. The ends of these linear objects tend to get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract, acting as an anchor point. As the intestines move, the other end is pulled along the digestive tract, which can cause "intestinal cutting," leading to multiple tears or perforations in the intestines. This is an emergency situation requiring immediate medical attention!
Emergency Response for Choking Pets
If your cat or dog is choking, how should you handle the emergency? Choking refers to a foreign object stuck in the throat or esophagus, causing breathing difficulties.
The best course of action is to immediately take your pet to a veterinary hospital. There, the animal will be sedated or anesthetized, and the foreign object can be removed safely using laryngoscopy or endoscopy.
Common techniques like the Heimlich maneuver are generally not recommended for pets. Attempting to remove the object by hand from the throat also carries the risk of being bitten.
If there is no veterinary hospital within a 15-minute drive, manual removal or the Heimlich maneuver should only be considered as a last resort.
If your pet loses consciousness due to choking, it is advised to begin CPR immediately.
What to Do When Cats or Dogs Ingest Foreign Objects
If you notice symptoms that your cat or dog might have ingested a foreign object, follow these steps carefully to ensure their health and safety.
Step 1: Medical History
Determine if there is a history of foreign object ingestion. Some dogs and cats tend to eat random things from a young age, or the owner might have directly seen the pet ingest a foreign object. In these cases, focus on examining for digestive tract foreign bodies. However, most owners do not witness the exact moment of ingestion. Symptoms typically appear 1-3 days later, prompting detection.
Step 2: Palpation
Conduct a preliminary, quick physical check by palpation. Large and hard foreign objects can sometimes be detected by simply feeling the abdomen. Research shows about 15% of foreign objects can be found this way. Palpation also helps assess if there is abdominal pain or swelling. Although palpation is fast and non-invasive, most digestive tract foreign bodies require imaging for detection.
Step 3: X-Ray Examination
X-rays are the first imaging step in examination. When there is a digestive tract blockage, typical X-ray abnormalities include intestines of varying thickness and severe intestinal dilation with fluid or air accumulation. In cases of severe digestive perforation, gas or fluid may be present in the abdominal cavity. Note that if the foreign body is not dense enough (such as bone or metal), not large, the blockage is recent, or only partial, abnormal signs might not appear immediately. Veterinarians may classify this as a "suspected" digestive blockage and recommend further abdominal ultrasound or gastrointestinal contrast studies.
Step 4: Ultrasound & Gastrointestinal Contrast
Ultrasound is an excellent tool to check for foreign object ingestion in cats and dogs but requires specialized equipment and experienced veterinarians. When ultrasound reveals a distinct high-echo interface with shadowing beneath, it suggests possible obstruction by a foreign object. Intestinal rupture can also be detected by the presence of fluid or gas in the abdominal cavity. Ultrasound examinations are best performed under pain control and mild sedation, as pets may struggle due to abdominal pain or anxiety, which could compromise image quality.
What is a Gastrointestinal Contrast Study?
A gastrointestinal contrast study involves feeding animals an oral contrast agent (such as barium or iodine-based agents), then taking X-rays at fixed intervals to observe how the contrast agent flows through different parts of the digestive tract.
The primary X-ray times are: before taking the contrast agent, immediately after ingestion, 5 minutes later, 15 minutes later, 1 hour later, and then every 2 hours thereafter. This schedule allows observation of the contrast agent passing through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and finally the large intestine, typically reaching the colon within 12 to 24 hours. For this reason, most animals need to be hospitalized for one day for observation.
This procedure clearly shows the location of any obstructions and outlines the shape of foreign bodies, assisting veterinarians in planning subsequent treatments. There is no absolute right or wrong with this examination method; each has its own advantages and limitations. The choice depends on the initial examination, the veterinarian's experience, and the available hospital equipment.
How to Remove Foreign Objects from Cats and Dogs
When you confirm that a cat or dog has ingested a foreign object, how should you remove it? If the diagnosis confirms a gastrointestinal obstruction caused by a foreign object, most cases will require removal of the object—unless it has already reached the colon. In such cases, you might wait for intestinal peristalsis to gradually expel the object. However, careful monitoring is necessary during this process to watch for perforations in the gastrointestinal tract caused by the object.
Research statistics show the following distribution of obstruction locations: 16-24% in the stomach, 14-24% in the duodenum, 47-55% in the jejunum, 3-6% in the ileum, and 4% in the colon. Different locations require different methods of removal. For example, considerations include whether the object is in the esophagus, stomach, or intestines, and whether it is sharp or may tear the digestive tract.
1. Endoscopic Surgery
For small, non-sharp objects located in the esophagus or stomach, if the object is still in either of these regions, gastrointestinal endoscopy is the best way to remove it. Endoscopy allows the foreign object to be removed non-invasively while simultaneously checking for ulcers or bleeding caused by the object. Recovery from the procedure is very fast, usually not requiring hospitalization.
2. Open Abdominal Surgery
For linear, oversized, or sharp foreign objects, "the vast majority of objects still require open abdominal removal!" When the object is in the esophagus or stomach but is too large or sharp, or there is a risk of esophageal injury during removal, surgery will be considered. Linear objects are more likely to pull across multiple intestinal sections, making endoscopic removal unsuitable.
Additionally, when the foreign object obstructs the small intestine and the endoscope cannot reach it, surgery is necessary. Veterinarians decide whether to perform an enterotomy (cutting open the intestine near the object to remove it, then closing the intestine) or an intestinal anastomosis (removing a diseased or necrotic segment of the intestine and connecting the healthy ends). This decision depends on factors like intestinal color, blood perfusion, and motility during surgery. Intestinal anastomosis carries a much higher surgical risk.
Postoperative 72-Hour Observation Key Points for Dogs and Cats with Foreign Body Removal
The first 72 hours following intestinal surgery are a high-risk period for non-healing. Most leaks tend to occur within this timeframe. Therefore, during the first three days after surgery, it is essential to closely monitor the pet's symptoms, body temperature, ultrasound findings, and blood test results.
The duration of symptoms, whether the foreign body is linear, and the presence of multiple intestinal incisions are critical factors affecting postoperative complications and mortality. Linear foreign bodies are also more likely to cause intestinal necrosis or peritonitis, which significantly increases the surgery time.
In contrast, the degree of obstruction (complete or partial) and its location usually do not affect the mortality rate. If severe vomiting, fever, weakness, ascites, or hypoalbuminemia occur, these may indicate poor intestinal wound healing.
If the dog or cat did not experience perforation or necrosis before surgery and can survive the first 72 hours, serious problems are generally unlikely.
Preventing Pets from Chewing Harmful Objects
As the saying goes, prevention is the best cure. If you notice that your pet loves to chew on things indiscriminately, it is important to keep all items that could become foreign objects safely out of their reach to avoid accidental ingestion.
When choosing toys, avoid sizes that your pet can swallow in one bite. If your pet tends to pick up random items during walks, use a muzzle if necessary to prevent them from eating dangerous objects. Otherwise, you might have to visit the vet to remove them.
