Gibby ate sharp plastic

  I think you're supposed to feed him cotton balls soaked in milk. I hope someone else chimes in very soon. Is there an e-vet you can call and ask what to give him?  Gosh I sure hope he's okay;(((hugs))).

You can use bread or cotton balls soaked in milk (or cream or half&half) or smeared with something like liverwurst.  Feed in small pieces.

If you use cotton balls they should be real cotton - not synthetic.  If you are not positive the cotton balls are real, just use bread.

Thanks guys.   I did give him a little vasoline ( since it worked for my Sammy dog...I can't get that out of my head...but I just gave him about a Tablespoon of it ) a cup of kibble and a piece of bread.

I did have real cotton balls here because I bought them just for this reason...however...I read in a few places that cotton balls themselves could/have caused problems. Being that I have a Dane and worry about his stomach to begin with....................I was worried.  So I called 2 ERs....both told me NO COTTON BALLS..... both said bread and one said kibble..and you could try some bread.    I'm worried....I'm worried about him getting cut up.....but then started thinking that if bigger pieces of plastic are there....I have to worry about blockage. Dam.  So while he is sound alseep on his bed right now....I am worrying.   And you know...its not like I didn't know better...I have seen him more than once smell out the fish oil pills on the counter.....and every other time I remembered to put them someplace where Gibby wouldn't get to them...but not tonight. Why the heck he had to eat the darn dish though....as DH said..it probably smelled like the fish oil so he ate the whole thing.

Remind me to get another Great Dane some day...I like those dogs that can reach just about everything.

Oh no!  How is Gibby doing so far? 

If he's going to obstruct it can be any time from almost immediately to 24-36 hours.  It all depends on where the obstruction occurs. 

I'm glad you didn't overdo Vaselline -- it can cause MAJOR pancreatitis -- my Prissy darned near died after a vet actually told me to do similar (we thot she'd eaten cooked chicken bones and she was already bleeding).  Unbeknownst to me she already HAD pancreatitis (triggered by the fried chicken skin) and the mineral oil that the vet had me give her WORSENED the pancreatitis.

You watch for two things -- vomiting and cessation of pooping.

Monitor CAREFULLY how much you feed vs. how much he's pooping (and *what* comes out as well). 

The way I *KNEW* something was hugely wrong last week when Billy obstructed was because when he vomited it was about 7 hours after I'd fed him -- and he puked almost exactly as much volume as I'd fed him.  It had been rolled around in his stomach (almost like it had been kneaded -- it was totally smooth consistency) and I kept thinking "WHY is there so MUCH of this??"

That actually helped the vet "locate" the obstruction (once we saw the shiney quarter on the x-ray *sheesh*) because it was darned close TO the stomach but it had exited the stomach and got stuck right away)

At this point you have to watch for it ALL -- of course you have to watch for bloat -- but you also have to watch for nausea/vomiting AND poop to stop.  See, there is generally fecal matter all along the intestinal tract -- so they will poop out what's already IN the intestines (beyond the obstruction) and then stop.

They'll eat happily UNTIL the stuff that exits the stomach backs up TO the stomach -- then once stomach acid churns over and over with food that's already "digested" THEN they vomit.

Not smart Gibby.  I'm glad you realized not to try to make him vomit. 

I would SURELY call the vet in the morning -- given that what he ingested was SHARP you don't really want him TO vomit any of it back up so I'd give the vet the option of x-rays NOW rather than later.  I don't know what he'll say but definitely get him in the loop first thing in the morning.

I hope it all passes thru -- but it's scarey stuff.  Trust me -- been there!  *sigh*

Wow...I posted last night and it is gone today....wonder whats with that.

Thanks you guys...callie..I wasnt' aware tht Billy blocked...yikes!  A quarter????  HHmm.   At least something like that would probably show up on an xray...I'm sure clear plastic that Gibby ate would not.   Both vets at the ER clinics I called last night said nothing we can do but feed him some food to help bind the plastic to it and sit and wait and watch.   I sure am.  Thinking small sharp plastic to rip his insides and larger sharp plastic to do the same and block besides. GREAT GIBBY!!!  Way to go!  

So far so good though.  Fed him more bread at breakfast and lunch along with his kibble.  He took two big dumps this morning at 7 and just now asked to go out and he took another one...usually doesn't go until closer to dinner..I suppose all he is eating extra PLUS the oat bread might be working overtime..lol!  

Do you know how hard it is to be on " poop patrol" in snow???  VERY!  I mean we have at least 5 inches of new snow.   But I did it. And we are talking clear thin plastic.  I found another piece in my carpet this morning..it was about 1 inch long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide....and sharp as can be.This mornings found the slivered almosts we had yesterday at lunch.................but the stool he just did...I did find some small pieces of plastic in.....I just found one but again...its hard since I am picking up snow too...  but I think hopefully he chewed it into small before swallowing....to take out the blockage part of the worry.   I will keep watching...but again...so far so good.

Stuff like that can partially block things -- you'll have to watch him for several days.  Things can get hung up on the rough inside of the intestines. 

That was the unusual part of Billy's shenanigans -- his went thru the hole and stopped everything except water. *sigh*  but then we had to deal with the "toxic metals" angle.  yuckamunga

calliecritturs

his went thru the hole and stopped everything except water.

Huh???  Water was the only thing that was coming back?   

Well from past experience with Gibby eating things.... like bright colored rubbery things that I could actually see in his stool.....it did come out in a few stools.... maybe for one or two after the initial spotting of the bright color. This is so hard to see though..almost impossible.  BUT I will check the next one for sure and then see whats what. For sure though...I will be watching him... I always do! 

dyan

Huh???  Water was the only thing that was coming back

Nope -- water was getting thru , nothing else.  My vet had a sick child (and his wife was out of town) so he couldn't do Billy's surgery until the next day, so I took him home with me and he got babyfood thinned to the consistency of water with some slippery elm in it -- so it was an almost complete obstruction with just some liquid getting by

Oh gosh CAllie....thats scary.

As for Gibby...Of course I am on " poop patrol " haven't done that for a while...and never during the winter in the snow...lol!  BUT since the plastic is clear in color...hard to see anyway....I did find that while holding it in the plastic bag and trying to dissect it..I realized I can feel it the plastic thru the bag and I do.......so now....I felt it this mornings pile and yesterdays afternoon one..................so he is still getting a slice of bread before his meal....hopefully we'll get it all out adn not tear him up along the way.  I just wonder now how long before we are out of the woods, I think I do remember seeing bright blue for a couple of days when he chewed up  and ate his toy with peanut butter in it.  At least SO FAR-SO GOOD!  Wish us luck for a few more days!

Dyan -- be mindful --  "black" or tarry-looking poop means blood in the stool from way up in.

 RED blood in the stool means it's bleeding nearer the anus.  So you need to watch for both.

Thank you Callie....I sure will watch for both. So far smoth brown....with almonds in it.....LOL!  Seriously..the slivered almonds I was eating and giving came out the same that they went in....   the plastic however...is almost impossible to see...can only feel it. But watching for either black or red in his stool and praying to not find either!

dyan

So I called 2 ERs....both told me NO COTTON BALLS..... both said bread and one said kibble..and you could try some bread.

  That's good to know; sorry I gave you the wrong advice. I'm glad he's been doing well and hope he gets through this without any problems.