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My puppy ate a piece of a pee pad. Is this dangerous for my dog?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pug | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 28 days old | 5.8 lbs

Hi. My 8.5 week old puppy ate about a 3” by 0.5” piece of puppy pad when we tried to leave him for 5 minutes for the 1st time. Is that anything to be concerned about?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 28th, 2020

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sulley and for providing a picture, it's very helpful. This is common behavior and the concern is that if he eats enough of it, it could cause an obstruction. You can tape down the edges of the puppy pad so he cannot pull it up to eat it. You can also start crate training him. This will prevent him from eating puppy pads but it will also help with potty training. The crate will provide him a small space where he can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train him to get used to a crate. Start putting him in it when you are home and sitting nearby so he doesn't think you are abandoning him, and slowly increase the time he is in it. He can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that he has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a teaspoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him in the crate. That will keep him occupied for a while. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Oh no, Sulley! As Dr. Melanie mentioned, eating puppy pads or other foreign objects can cause an intestinal obstruction/blockage (https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/foreign-bodies-in-the-small-intestine-in-cats-and/). Odds are good with something this small that Sulley will pass it in his stool without a problem. Just keep a close eye on him for changes or problems, like vomiting, a loss of appetite or lethargy, as these signs could indicate that he's obstructed. If you notice any of these concerns, be sure to take him to a vet urgently for evaluation. Again, odds are good that he'll be just fine without any intervention! I hope that everything goes well!

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My 6 yo pom-terrier mix ate part of a pee-pee pad (palm size). What should I do?
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Well that was naughty of Hachi to eat that! It looks like a small piece of plastic, so it may pass without problem, but there is always a chance that it could become stuck in his GI tract and cause an obstruction. The best thing to do is take him into a vet immediately to induce vomiting with a shot to get it out of his stomach and prevent any chance of obstruction. There may be an ER vet in your area; if not, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Now you can monitor him over the next couple of days to see if it passes. Check his poop to see if you can find it. If he stops eating, starts vomiting, has diarrhea, becomes very lethargic, has blood in his poop, or stops pooping, then the plastic piece may be stuck and you will have to rush him into a vet immediately. In that case, he would likely need surgery to remove it. Good luck, I hope this helps!
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