Dog Intestinal Blockage: What Are The Symptoms?
If you have found this when looking up symptoms of a blockage in a dog while your dog is ill, I strongly suggest you stop reading and call your veterinarian’s office immediately.
A blockage in your dog’s digestive system can be a serious medical event.
If you are curious of what symptoms you need to look for to determine if your dog has a blockage, you have come to the right place.
This article was originally written as part of an article about dogs eating socks.
Feel free to read the whole article, but if you only want the details about symptoms of a blockage in a dog, this is the article for you.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Blockage In A Dog?
So, what are the symptoms of a blockage in a dog? The symptoms of a blockage in dogs include vomiting profusely, especially if he is not eating or drinking, this is a sign of obstruction requiring immediate medical attention.
If your dog is not typically a dog that vomits but starts vomiting several times in a week, this should be a warning sign your dog could have something stuck in their stomach.
Blockage in a dog is a serious medical condition requiring surgery to remove the item. Blockages can occur not only in the stomach but also in the intestines as the sock works against the flow of blood, causing the blood flow to be repressed or completely stopped.
If this condition is not addressed immediately, the tissue in the intestine will begin to die, leaving your pet in a life-threatening situation. The digestion of a sock could cause the sides of the dogs’ intestine to become severely irritated producing ulcers or perforations from the constant scraping of the sock during the involuntary contractions. Further, the type of sock can have a direct impact upon the actions the vet may take, thick, wool socks, versus thinner tennis socks, can help determine the proper course of treatment.
How Long Does It Take For Things To Go Through A Dog’s Digestive System?
The amount of time it takes for things to go through a dog’s digestive system is typically 10-24 hours to move through the entire digestive tract. Some objects, however, can take a much longer time depending on the size of the object, which can prove too large to progress through the digestive tract.
A dog’s digestive system is an efficient one, depending on its digestibility, food can stay in a dog’s stomach much longer than a human, which is normally four to five hours.
It is important to note there are many variables that can affect the digestive process for your dog. Does your dog drink enough water, is it sedentary or does it get ample exercise? Exercise has a direct impact on the motility of the muscles in the digestive system to propel the food through the process.
The total time from entry to exit is greatly impacted by a wide range of factors, from the breed, size, and body weight of the dog, to the quality of the food. Wet food takes less time to digest than dry food.