My dog swallowed dental floss. Will it pass or cause a blockage?

Question

My 5 and a 1/2 year old Peekapoo heaven just chewed and swallowed a thin piece of dental floss mint flavor While I was asleep I woke up to the chewing sound too late to get it from her. It was (estimate) about 6 to 8" long. Will she be able to pass this in her stool in a few days? Pet's info: Dog | Peekapoo | Female | spayed | 5 years and 10 months old | 20 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Hi there. With a relatively small piece of dental floss like this, there's a good chance it will pass through mixed in her food without causing any problems. You can go ahead and feed her regular dinner now, or give something bulky like a slice of bread torn up into pieces, to help surround the floss and help it to pass. The biggest concern is that it could become tangled on something and get stuck in the stomach or intestines - this is relatively unlikely in a 20 lb dog with a small piece of floss or string, but still possible. Because of this, I would monitor her for the next 2-3 days for any signs of a problem. Signs of a possible blockage would include repeated episodes of vomiting, not eating, acting painful or lethargic, and/or not having regular bowel movements. If you see any of these problems, then I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam and x-rays. But as long as she's acting normal, you shouldn't need to worry. :)

My dog swallowed dental floss. Will it pass or cause a blockage?

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