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What if my dog chewed a battery and has red spots on his tongue?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 4 months and 17 days old | 45 lbs

My dog got ahold of a remote control and chewed on a battery. Hes still eating and drinking all of his food and water but he has red spots on his tongue. What can I do to remedy this

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rosemary Barber, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 12th, 2017

Hi! Oakley likely has burns on his tongue from the battery acid. He could also have burns in his esophagus (the tube between his mouth and stomach). This could be quite dangerous. It is also important to know whether he may have swallowed any parts of the battery, as well, as it would carry battery acid into his stomach/intestines, which could be fatal. I'm glad to hear that he is still eating and drinking, but I would recommend that you take him in to see a vet asap. They can treat the burns on tongue, and, if necessary, Xray him to look for any batteries in his system.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Oh no, poor Oakley! Batteries are corrosive and cause ulcers in the mouth and the GI tract. Given that he has red spots on his tongue, I would assume that Oakley chewed the battery enough to cause leakage of the contents leading to the red spots on his tongue. What I would be most concerned about now is that he swallowed some of this corrosive agent, and he may now have ulcers in his esophagus and stomach. Even though he is eating and drinking now, it can take up to 12 hours for signs of ingestion to occur. These signs include drooling heavily, vomiting, anorexia, difficulty swallowing, being more quiet than usual, or whimpering in pain. Immediately give him small quantities of milk. Do not give him large amounts, as that will cause diarrhea, but the small amounts will help dilute the corrosive fluid. Then I would take Oakley into a vet right away. He may need medications to help protect his stomach from the corrosive fluid as well as antibiotics and pain medications. The vet may also recommend having his throat examined with an endoscope to see if there is any damage to his esophagus. Severe damage would lead to scarring and difficulty eating and drinking in the future. Please give him the milk now and then take him into a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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