My Dog Ate An Earring, Now What? (Solved!)

wedding gb8e2e7df7 640
Note: If you click some of the links in this article we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Spread the love

As precious as our pets may be, sometimes they do things that we’d rather them not, such as drink out of toilet bowls, eat our homework and even swallow our expensive jewelry.  As much as you love your jewelry, you love your dog more and you’re rightfully concerned for its wellbeing.

If your dog has ingested an earring, you should confirm it is not gagging or choking.  If you confirm it has, take it to a veterinarian immediately.  You can also allow it to try and vomit the earring back up.  Monitor and watch for symptoms of gastrointestinal blockage and quickly notify your veterinarian if you notice any symptoms.

The method of treatment and severity of damage largely depend upon the type of earring your dog swallowed.  Learn about the symptoms associated with dogs swallowing an earring, the G.I effects of different types of earrings, what to do in different scenarios, prevention and why your precious pup is swallowing your jewels. 

What To Do When Your Dog Swallows An Earring

What to do when your dog swallows an earring depends on what type of earring it swallowed.  Sometimes earrings are so small in size that they can easily pass through the dog’s intestines without much incident.  In other cases, larger earrings can become lodged inside your dog’s intestines and create an obstruction or tear organ linings, in such cases a vet will be required. 

You should confirm that after ingesting your earring your dog isn’t gagging or choking.  If it is vomiting, allow it to do so.  Monitor your fur baby’s feces for a few days until you can confirm the earring has passed through your dog’s digestive system successfully.  If you aren’t able to locate the earring in a few days, you will need to contact your veterinarian.

Be sure that you are able to properly identify the characteristics of the earring your pup swallowed.  This will make it easier for you and your vet to treat your dog properly if you end up needing to take a trip to the clinic.  Some earrings are quite large and could create an intestinal obstruction; others can be sharp and tear digestive linings.

Symptoms Of Dogs Who Swallow An Earring

Symptoms of dogs who have eaten an earring and are experiencing an obstruction are:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Abdominal Tenderness Or Pain
  • Decreased Appetite/Anorexia
  • Straining During Defecation
  • Producing Small Amounts Of Feces
  • Lethargy
  • Changes In Behavior (biting or growling when being picked up in or near the abdominal area)
  • Nausea 

If you notice any of the above listed symptoms, you should take your dog to the veterinarian for a thorough examination.  Any of these symptoms can indicate something more serious has happened such as an obstruction in your dog’s intestines.  For these types of symptoms, it is best to reach out for help earlier rather than when it’s too late to ensure the best outcome possible.

Diagnosing Dogs Who Have Eaten Earrings

First, your vet will perform a physical examination of your dog and likely order a blood test to be performed to identify any other causes for your dog’s symptoms.  Your vet will begin by palpating your dog’s abdomen so they can better guess where the earring traveled to, however it is more likely they will confirm the location through x-rays of your dog’s abdomen.

Sometimes the earring may not be visible even with radiography.  In cases such as these, your veterinarian will likely be able to observe some sort of gas buildup in or around the obstruction.  In cases where none of the previously mentioned diagnostic methods are successful, your veterinarian can perform an abdominal ultrasound on your dog to locate the object.

Treatment For Dogs Who Have Eaten Earrings

Once the earring is successfully located, your veterinarian will move onto the removal process.  Your vet will perform different methods of extraction depending on where the earring has gotten lodged.  If it has been located in the esophagus or stomach and is small in size the earring can likely be removed via an endoscopy.  

There are times when a dog swallows an earring that happens to be very sharp or large, making it difficult for a vet to remove.  If this happens, your vet will likely perform surgery, making an incision in your dog’s abdomen to open the stomach or intestines.  

Although surgery is necessary to remove large and sharp earrings, complications can still arise.  Sometimes sections of your dog’s G.I. tract may need to be removed or their intestines could possibly leak from the site of extraction.  Other risks that come with surgery include skin incisional infections and incisional openings.

Dangers Of Dogs Swallowing Earrings

It is not advised for dogs to swallow earrings because of the hazards they could pose for you and your beloved pooch.  Although symptoms of an obstruction and other health complications caused from swallowing objects such as earrings come with enough stress and hardships on their own, there are other aspects of your dog’s health you should be concerned with as well.

The severity of damage to your dog’s body depends on what the earring your dog swallowed was made of.  For example, if your earring was made of metal, your dog could be at risk for metal toxicity and exhibit signs of anemia.  When earrings obstruct your dog’s intestines or stomach, they could be at risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.

More dangers of your dog swallowing an earring can include damage to the wall of your dog’s GI tract and cause perforations along the lining.  With these perforations, fluid can escape your dog’s intestines and cause infection and even shock, which is life threatening. 

Summary

Although it is scary when your dog swallows an earring, being informed of the signs your dog has swallowed something, swift action by you and veterinary care all can play a role in ensuring your dog recovers smoothly after the incident.  By being informed of how to manage these types of situations and knowing when to contact your vet you’re taking the necessary precautions to keep your dog safe. 


Spread the love