Ribbon, Tinsel Spell Trouble for Dogs
December 12, 2008 by Paris and John
Filed under Christmas, Holidays & Your Dog, Tips
Pretty ribbon and sparkling tinsel look pretty around the Christmas tree–but they both spell trouble when it comes to your dog. They’re very tempting to dogs that like to chew and can lead to a holiday in the emergency vet’s office if you’re not careful.
Ribbon and other string-like objects can get caught in the gastrointestinal tract; as the dog’s body tries to move the ribbon on through his system, it causes big problems and can lead to the intestine telescoping on itself, or getting lacerated by the ribbon. How do you know if your dog might have eaten ribbon if you didn’t see it happen? Dogs that have ingested ribbon will vomit, become depressed and have a tummy ache. It’s a life-threatening emergency that requires surgery.
If you should see your dog eat ribbon, tinsel or some other type of string, always contact your veterinarian immediately. Your vet may be able to make your dog vomit up the string, avoiding surgery.
If your dog likes playing with ribbon or tinsel, always make sure he’s supervised. After gift opening time is over, make sure ribbons are put away and out of your dog’s reach.
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Thank you so much for this comment. My dog has been playing with a ribbon today and she swallowed some of it. She just barely vomited the food she ate today and is now somewhat depressed. She's never really thrown up before. This comment answered our questions on what it could be.
Good luck…we hope your dog is feeling better today! If not, be sure to check with your vet; it's so much easier and cheaper to run to your regular vet now than an emergency vet over the holidays. Always better to err on the safe side! Hope she's doing better!