Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My dog ate something unknown. She's eating. What are obstruction signs?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 1 year and 2 months old | 10.6 lbs

My dog ate something off my bed earlier today (several hours ago) caught her chewing really hard didn’t know what it was & she would not let me get it. She was retching/licking air for a while after trying to get it out but kept stopping herself. I knew she wasn’t choking bcuz she was barking, playful, drinking as well. As soon as she ate food the retching stopped so now do I just look out for signs of obstruction? She’s eaten twice since then so far.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 14th, 2018

Given that Snowball has eaten twice since and isn't vomiting, I would monitor her for signs an obstruction to be safe. It can take a couple of days for signs to be seen which include vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, not pooping, and severe lethargy. If you see any of those signs, take her into a vet right away. Otherwise if you don't see any of those signs, she will be just fine. Best of luck!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog ate something she shouldn’t have I don’t know what it was I couldn’t get it out. She keeps trying to throw up but stops herself. I know she’s not choking she’s barking and playful so should I feed her to make it go down or wait for her to vomi
Hey there. Oh, Snowball. Really wish these guys wouldn't eat things they shouldn't. If she is acting okay I would try to feed her a bland diet. Boil some boneless chicken breasts and then shred those up and mix with some cooked rice. This will help bind around whatever she ate and maybe try to move it thru. Not knowing what it is she ate is a problem. If she were to start vomiting and not able to keep food and water down, I would recommend having her seen by your veterinarian. Whatever it was, could cause an obstruction. So, watch for vomiting and diarrhea and if she becomes lethargic. As long as she is acting normal and still seems playful you can try moving it thru with the chicken and rice. Good luck
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
If there was an obstruction in my dog, what are some early signs. Would I see sights immediately?
There are number of signs of obstruction, but the first one you may see is lethargy. Jax would be quieter than usual. Then you may see anorexia or eating less than normal, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. It can take a couple of days for signs of obstruction to occur. If you see any of these signs in Jax, or have a suspicion that he may have eaten something that could lead to an obstruction, I would take him into a vet immediately. Obstructions are fatal without treatment, and having him treated as soon as possible is very important. I hope he doesn't have an obstruction!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Would there be *obvious * symptoms if a dog had a blockage in their stomach/ate something foreign? Came home to find my chi (who has never eaten foreign things before) with a little bit of fuzz/stuffing on her nose and mouth. I can only think, since
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Swiss. If she ingested foreign material and is experiencing a blockage, then I would expect her to vomit any food or water consumed. She would be very lethargic and be sore in her belly. Of course, every case is different as far as symptoms, but those are the common ones. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Nova got a way in my closet she was there for five minutes aprox. I have weird feeling that she ate something. She is behaving normal, eating and drinking normally but I can't shrug off this feeling. Any symptoms that could tell me?
If you are worried she ingested an object, like a sock or shoe then you would watch for signs of gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, lethargy, or straining to defecate. If you are worried about a toxin ingestion these signs can vary widely and can include GI upset, rapid breathing or heart rate, excessive drooling, trembling, seizures, drunken appearance/gait, dilated pupils, pale gums, lethargy. If any of these signs occur seek veterinary care right away.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
Midnight a 4 yr old rescue Chow found something on the floor. I got it from him. It looked like what you clean between your teeth. I put it under my shoe. He bite me and got it back. He chewed it into little pieces. It is the third day. What should I
I am not sure what you are describing that he ate. Signs of GI obstruction can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, etc. If you see these signs, Midnight should be examined by a vet right away.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
New Pet
Hello. My puppy ate a large part of our rug when my mom and I were at the gym earlier. It’s been almost 4 hours and he’s been eating and drinking and playing just fine, but what should I look for in case of obstruction? He went to the bathroom about
Well that was naughty of Teddy to eat the rug. If he has since eaten well with no vomiting and continues to not vomit, have a normal appetite and use the bathroom fine, he should be ok. Signs of an obstruction are continuous vomiting (even water), lack of appetite, scant (small) feces and lethargy (decreased energy level). I hope that Teddy is able to pass the rug pieces well. If he chewed it well then chances of him passing it are really good. He may have an upset stomach though, at which time you can try a bland diet of boiled plain chicken and rice or cottage cheese to see if it settles things down. However if he is sick for more than 24 hrs it’s best to take him to your vet for further care. Best wishes with your pet Teddy and I hope everything works out well for him. Take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Stella ate a small piece of parchment paper chewed it up and ate it two days ago and last night ate something I didn't get to see what it was tried to get it but she was a little possessive so I backed off I think it was food but not sure. She's been
Persistent vomiting, abdominal pain and reluctance to eat are the main signs of an obstruction, difficulty passing feces can also occur if something gets stuck very far down. A small piece of paper would be unlikely to cause any discomfort but bones, stones and tots are common culprits
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I gave my dog a raw chicken + leg bone. Nothing was cooked. The chicken was chopped into bite sized pieces and she chewed the bone in a 30 min period and was fine. 24 hrs later she refuses to eat/drink/move. She threw up several times (clear yellow/b
Poor girl. I think both are a possibility here since they produce almost the exact same symptoms. Although you generally see more lethargy, smaller stool sizes and vomiting of both water and food in pets with an obstruction. At any rate Isabella should definitely be seen by your vet for testing (bloodwork + radiographs) and treatment based on what the final diagnosis is. I hope your fur baby is able to feel better soon! It’s best to get her seen right away. I would withhold food and only offer water until she can be seen by your vet. Best wishes and take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 10 year old chihuahua got into the bed side trash can and shredded the toilet paper in the trash can that I have been using since running out of Kleenex. I am not sure if he actually ingested any of the toilet paper or just shredded it. The majori
Oh dear! Dogs do love to chew and shred toilet paper when they can get to it - this is a very common occurrence :) The good news is, if he did swallow any of the paper, in most cases it will pass through without any problems. Toilet paper is very soft and tends to break up easily when it gets wet, so it would uncommon to see an intestinal obstruction caused by eating this. As long as Magnum is acting normal, you shouldn't need to worry. Signs of an obstruction would normally develop within 2-3 days, and would include vomiting, acting lethargic, not wanting to eat, and/or not having regular bowel movements. If you see any signs of a problem, it would be a good idea to take him to your vet to be checked.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have lost some big stud earrings and I’m worried jake might find them before I do... what signs would he give off if he has eaten them?
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Oh no! I would check his stools to see if they pass. If he can't pass them then the signs would be vomiting, not eating, lethargy. You can also have an X-ray taken to see if they are inside him! I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Food Dog Toys Dog Supplies Dog Health & Wellness Dog Treats & Chews Dog Bowls & Feeding Supplies Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Dog First Aid & Recovery Wet Dog Food Dry Dog Food DOG by Dr Lisa Dog First Aid & Recovery Solid Gold Dog Stool Eating Deterrent Glandex Dog First Aid & Recovery Vet Worthy Dog Stool Eating Deterrent PetAlive Sensitive Stomach Dog Food Under the Weather Dog Food Vetnique Labs Dog First Aid & Recovery Pet Honesty Dog Stool Eating Deterrent PetAlive Dog First Aid & Recovery Under the Weather Dog Health & Wellness
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored