My dog ate a battery. How long can it stay in their stomach safely?

Question

If a battery was swallowed whole it can sit in the stomach for a month?? God thats such a long time! would that be likely to happen in a small to medium sized dog? Or maybe a larger dog? And would stool look normal? Thanks for all the awnsers! Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 20 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. A month is only for a battery that might be encased in a plastic housing. If there is a chance your dog ingested a battery, you do not want to take a chance waiting to see if he develops a necrotic lesion somewhere in his digestive tract. It does not matter what size the dog is. A hole in the stomach or gut is still a major problem that can cause peritonitis & possibly death. If he does start to erode a lesion somewhere in his gi tract, you will see drooling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea & possibly melena, which is a black stool colored by digested blood. The dog may ingest large amounts of water & vomit it back up possibly with a dark brown substance, an indication the stomach lining is beginning to break down & is bleeding. He will, of course, not want to eat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog ate a battery. How long can it stay in their stomach safely?

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