I am already extremely worried about the problems of this world and then I read: “my dog ate shoelace” or “dog swallowed cow hoof?. Now” what to do if a dog eats underwear”? Is another level that encourages me to question the sanity of this world. Seriously people where were you? What is this world is up to?. Where are we all going?.
Despite your questionable role here, I find it my moral duty to guide you on what to do if the dog eats underwear. Let’s start with
What bla bla your dog may eat?
Well, sometimes our little nasty creatures can be uncontrollable. I know mostly this little mischievous kid has done the activity while you were not around(which you need to explain). Also, dogs have a habit to chew or bite and sometimes swallow the things that might come in their way. We need to make a strategy so that dogs shouldn’t do such stupid things in the first place.
Keep him with you
The best thing to prevent your dog from eating awkward stuff is to keep him in front of your eyes. It was your dog and it needs to be with you. Of course, there are times when you have to leave the dog but try to minimize that time.
Keep the things away
When you are not around, at least keep things away from your dog. He must not be able to reach the places where he is not allowed. Especially in cupboards and drawers. There could be other things in these places which might be poisonous or dangerous for dogs like medicines, chocolate or screwdrivers, etc.
Teach your dog to behave
Your dog must not act nasty even if you are not around. You can crate train your dog so he can rest in his place and wait for you.
Keep him busy
If you don’t want your dog to sneak here or there keep him busy. Give him something like a dog toy or chewable to keep him engaged so he doesn’t think about other stuff. Usually, when a dog gets bored it starts searching for things to kill the boredom.
If you have done all the things above, still your little evil creature will find a way to test your patience. You might sleep and wake up with a new revelation that your dog has eaten the underwear. Here is
How to tell if your dog ate underwear?
Well, firstly your underwear is missing and your little culprit was around. You know deep in your heart that it’s only your little undie-monster who has swallowed it.
Now, If your dog has swallowed the fabric, it’s not going to digest that easily. Underwear is made up of fabric (or leather if you have that kinky side..Ahem Ahem). The elastic part in underwear is made up of nylon and if stuck in the intestine, your dog may need medical assistance.
You can tell that your dog has eaten underwear if he is having difficulty in passing stools, feeling nausea, or having severe vomiting.
How long the underwear will stay in the dog’s stomach?
Some people told that their dog threw up toys from months ago. This is quite a surprise for us as well but don’t worry. Most probably, the dog will spit out any alien thing within two days. If it has passed down to the intestines, it may take up to two weeks. Patience is a virtue!.
What to do if a dog eats underwear?
If your dog has eaten underwear, it needs to be removed from the stomach. The fabric is not going to dissolve in a day or two. Your dog will pass the underwear with stools but it may take 1-2 weeks. Till then if your dog is acting fine, you don’t need to worry about it at all. However, if you are seeing awkward symptoms, talk to your vet.
While swallowing the underwear, there is a risk of choking. How? If stuck in a throat, the fabric will absorb the saliva that lubricates and help things to pass down the throat. The piece of cloth will remain stuck in the throat. This is dangerous and could be fatal to your dog. (If your dog ate a small piece of underwear, most probably you won’t even know and it will pass out from the body).
If it has passed through the throat, here comes the role of a stomach. A dog’s stomach is much stronger than a human but it is still not enough to dissolve fabric like a pro. Sometimes polyester is mixed with cotton and that is even more difficult to dissolve. Now your dog has to pass out any alien thing from the body.
Sometimes, the body shows a quick response to foreign substances and ends up throwing them. If your dog is vomiting, giving him medical assistance is recommended.
The weird symptoms your dog may show after eating underwear are
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Uncoordinated movements
- Diarrhea
- Blood in Diarrhea
If the stomach has passed the underwear to the intestine, it can cause serious blockage which may turn fatal to your dog. So try to make your dog throw up soon after you have realized it has eaten a piece of fabric. If your dog is vomiting more than 3 times a day, your vet should check him. It could be silence before the storm.
To make your dog throw up at home, try home remedies to make your dog spit out.
How to make your dog vomit?
Few tested methods can cause vomiting in dogs. Although we suggest talk to your vet on phone before trying anyone. Also, we have mentioned these methods in our previous article “dog ate shoelace“.
Hydrogen peroxide method
Hydrogen peroxide is used as bleach and as an antiseptic for burns and scars. This is also used in mouthwashes to cleanse your inner mouth from bacteria. However, ingesting hydroperoxide can be extremely harmful. Your dog can’t ingest a hydrogen peroxide solution that is more than 3% concentrated or it will give rise to other uninvited problems.
When your dog ingests hydrogen peroxide, it will cause an upset stomach and your dog will end up throwing. Quite a shortcut but can be dangerous. Don’t you think?
The salt method:
Well, the idea is, give your dog a high amount of salt and the body will throw up everything in the stomach. However, This is a bad idea. It may work in emergency cases but what If you have an adult dog with already heart problems?. Poor dog!
Baking soda method
Now, this is where we agree. Feed your dog baking soda and it will vomit out everything from inside the stomach. Baking soda is at least safe in a way that it doesn’t cause other health concerns. However baking soda method can take a long time to cause any noticeable effect.
This is best to apply if you know your dog ate underwear but doesn’t show other symptoms that need an emergency alert.
Diarrhea after the dog ate underwear
If your dog ate underwear and now has diarrhea it means the stomach was unable to handle the foreign thing in the body. Or maybe your dog ingested a bacteria that caused diarrhea. Diarrhea can also be a sign of infection in the body. For whatever reason the diarrhea is happening, if it doesn’t stop in two days, you need a vet visit.
So guys if your dog ate underwear and is acting fine, don’t worry. The dog will pass it out. It may take weeks, but your dog will be fine. Next time, keep such things away from him. If your dog is showing symptoms, consult a doctor.
