dog ate kong! - Page 2

What size the pieces ended up in the dogs stomach is the issue. You probably do not know this information with any certainty. Since there is no emergency vet available tonight, I personally would NOT be feeding the dog anything and get the dog to a vet for x-ray tomorrow ASAP. The kong may or may not show up itself, but there are other things the vet can put into the stomach to provide a contrast, if necessary. If the piece or pieces are large, they will not pass and adding food to a gut which is about to become obstructed will only complicate matters if the dog must have surgery to take the kong pieces out. If the pieces will not pass, the dog will have to have this surgically removed. The less in the stomach or bowel that the vet has to deal with, the better. If the vet sees that the pieces are small, then he/she will probably tell you to do some of the things that have been suggested, but my experience is that to do these things first is a potentially serious mistake. Kongs are wonderful toys, but dogs should only play with them when the size and hardness is appropriate and only under supervision. As the kong ages, it should be thrown away. And some dogs can not have kongs because they will destroy them (or any other toy for that matter). Good luck.

Had this happen once and my female also ate 2/3 of a new kong. Just watched her and she passed it over the next few days no problem. Be sure sure to watch her close in case she goes into distress. Going to the vet is up too you though...

From what I understand, unless the kong is one of those new blue ones, it may not show up on xray .... The dog will tell you really quick if something is obstructing.... he will stop eating and vomit ot attempt to do so.... I have had dogs eat all kinds of things and just pieced them back together.. had a boarding dog who went home with a bag full of the things we picked out of her stool (washed of course!)Her owners had no idea! Just watch your dog for now and try to stay calm..

Hi, I know that there is no rule but this happened more than once to my dog. He ate the black kong and what would happen is smaller pieces would be expelled at the rear end, and bigger ones would be womited the day after. There was no need for a vet, although as I said, there are no rules. Steve

I have to agree with those who have advised you to have your dog seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible--while it's true that the dog will eventually display symptoms if there is an obstruction, it's also true that by that time, tissue has already started to die from impaired blood circulation and will need to be removed along with the obstruction, and that makes the surgery that will be necessary *much* riskier for the dog. Better to have the dog seen by the vet before it gets to the point where the dog's system is beconing toxic. The red and black Kongs do not show up on x-rays, but they should be evident on an ultrasound...and if no U/S is available, I don't know that I'd be willing to risk doing a 'wait and see' with a dog that ate part of a Kong--it's more likely that the dog swallowed large chunks of it than it is that he chewed it into tiny pieces that can easily pass, and the gastric fluids affect the rubber material by hardening it, making it more difficult for chunks of it to pass through the intestinal tract. In the long run, it may be safer (and less expensive) to just have to vet do an exploratory laparotomy and remove anything he finds... And clearly, from this point forward, the rule for this dog is going to have to be NO KONGS unless under direct supervision such as training with it--never any opportunity to just gnaw on it. I wish your dog the best, and hope you'll let us know how he fares.

A friend's malinois had to have emergency surgery - he swallowed a golf ball size part of a kong (I believe it was the top section of a black king). Complete obstruction. Symptoms started slow - dog was lethargic - and by the next morning he was vomiting even the smallest bit of water. Supposedly when the Kong was in his stomach, he was uncomfortable and not feeling well, but as soon as it passed into the intestines, it lodged in place and was a life threatening emergency. REALLY watch your dog. No toy is indestructible, regardless of what anyone will say.

Hello, I appreciate all the help.If I had a vet I would be there in the office with x ray at this moment.This dog again never with a kong or toy alone,For 2 yrs never a clue he would do this. My puppy goes for hernia repair in the morning. I will bring her daddy and get an x ray. Again I will sleep with him to be sure and watch for the usual signs of bowel obstruction. Let's hope an ex-lap never comes into play Thank you

An xray may not reveal an obstruction form a Kong. I had a friend whose dog declined after ingesting a portion of a Kong. On a exploratory surgery reavealed the cause of the obstruction/

Hello eveyone, Just to update you all,all the pieces of the kong came out. Dog is acting fine,no problems.I will continue to watch him for a few days more . Thank you all for your help.

Glad to hear everything came out all right!! :-)