What Won't Your Dog Eat?

If you have been owned by a dog for any amount of time, you know that there are very few things that a canine will not try to eat. If it isn't nailed down, and sometimes if it is, dogs are up for attempting the

impossible.

I started writing with the hope of putting together the typical article on the horrors of things your dog can get into and eat. After much research I can consolidate that into one word. Nothing. There is nothing that your dog won't attempt to eat. That pretty much covers it.

In a short three quarters of an hour of research, plus some familial anecdotal help, I was able to compile an astounding volume of horrific items that our common canine has indulged, much to the shock, dismay, horror and sometimes abject embarrassment of his beleaguered owners.

When Veterinary Practice online compiles a contest to determine what incredible items their clients have consumed over the course of the past year, that's bad. The contest is “The 2015 X-Ray Contest: “They Ate What?” 'winners'. I'm sure the 'winners' owners might debate that designation.

This article takes a light note, but the actual content is deadly serious. I hope by reading this we all can step back and cogitate upon things within and without our homes that our dogs might eat or think of eating. Even if it's gross. Even if it's inedible. Even if it's incredible.

So in that light, I give you a very abbreviated list of things your dog can and will eat if given half a chance. Being a retired nurse, I would like to also add to the list...medications. Human beings have enough trouble keeping up with their own ingestion of medication, so what's to keep your beloved pup from getting into your medicines? Daily pill-minders are shakable and reminiscent of toys to be chewed...creams, lotions, powders and potions if left out where they can be snatched will soon be consumed. Vitamins in baggies are a quick snatch and gulp. (I have heard that Ambien is the most favorite sleeping potion in the Golden Retriever community!)

MEDICATIONS

All forms of human medications (and non-human)

Anything a child should not be exposed to ie: cleaners, solvents,oils, paints, glue....you name it they will and have eaten it! Anti-freeze is deadly, and something to think about securing out of the reach of canines and children now that the weather is turning colder.

SOCKS AND PANTYHOSE

As we all know, socks are not a toy. Your dog doesn't. Socks are insidious. They hide under couches, behind hampers and under the bed. Even the best dog parent might miss the errant sock that insists on being lost~until...until your dog finds it and eats it! If you are lucky, your dog will consider that it is a great find, such a great find that he wants to give it to you as a gift. If this happens, count yourself a lucky person. Most canines find that socks have such a fantastic odoriferous quality that they are keeping them for themselves...and since they are keeping them for themselves, maybe just a bite or a nibble wouldn't hurt...before you know it, it's down the pipes!

“Winner” of the most socks eaten is a Great Dane with 43 ½ socks. I guess that last sock was

just too much and he had to leave it at just a half a sock. On a positive note, a day after surgery

he got to go back home. Perhaps all dog owners need to go barefoot!

Subcategory: SHOES

The more expensive, the better.

CHILDREN'S TOYS

This covers a lot of territory here. There are a vast array of toys that both dogs and children love to eat

for some strange reason. The top few ones that I've heard of that are in the top due to the “yuk” factor:

a. Play-dough: if the temptation to eat it is too much for your three year old, why wouldn't your dog think it was a neat item to snack on?

b. Stuffed toys. Obviously a branch off of socks, the soft material screams 'eat me' and they are.

c. Crayons are apparently a hot item and make for very colorful pooing experiences.

d. Balls, especially tennis balls, which are deadly. Only play with doggie approved dog-size approved

balls.

e. Rubber duckies are often-enjoyed items that have vast intestinal-blocking abilities.

BABY ITEMS

*Remembering that dogs love smelly items...and that babies produce vast quantities of such things...

baby wipes and diapers (either throw-away or not, doesn't matter!)

pacifiers and nipples are also old standbys and favorites.

TOTALLY GROSS

This category also covers a lot of territory, and I'm sure that something will be left out here, but you can extrapolate:

Tampons

Old umbilical cord stumps after they've dried up and fallen off

Dead birds (or long-dead anything, road kill, you name it!)

Underwear...particularly thong underwear, and for the why of it I'm leaving it to your imagination! Bras...including the gel inserts!

Catfish heads

A pan full of grease (cooking grease)

A thawing piece of meat

A marinating pan of chicken

Frogs (antedotally will make incredibly sick!)

Cat-box 'exploration'. Dog poo. Their own.

Brownies (with glass shards!)*not sure how glass got in there, perhaps when the pan was pulled off the kitchen cabinet?*

Pits from fruit

TECHNICALLY INEDIBLE:

8 inch socket wrench

Rocks

Needles

Pine needles (with tinsel)

Glue

Toothpaste

Spoons

Grocery bags

Foil candy wrappers

Metal skewer or shishkobob holder

Sticks

Carpeting

Extension cords

Pens and pencils

Golf balls

Rope

The head off a double bladed disposable razor

Fishing lures (with the hooks!)

NO WAY!

Corn cobs (17 of them!!!)

An entire Thanksgiving turkey

Cedar shingles off the side of the house

The wooden dog house. The ENTIRE wooden dog house.

The second wooden dog house's doorway (owner used screws to secure joints the second time)

An engagement ring

A wedding ring

$180 cash

Skittles

Chocolate (deadly!)

Raisins

Grapes

WORST EVER:

Chicken bones. They are everywhere. And they will kill your dog.

For Emergency Veterinary help for ingestion of foreign materials the animal poison control line is a good help. Please note that a $65 charge will be applied to your credit card if you use this resource.

1-888-426-4435. This line is run by the ASPCA. They run a website as well:

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

A good tip: Keep the poison control number for both humans and animals somewhere where you can get to it fast in an emergency.

If your area is lucky enough to have a 24 hour Emergency Vet Clinic also have the number and address handy in case you ever need it.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/mans-best-friend/2011/06/dogs-will-eat-anything-and-its-no-laughing-matter

http://natgeotv.com/za/my-dog-ate-what

https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/strangest-things-dogs-eat/

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/2014-X-Ray-Contest-Winners/

http://www.canineassistants.org (information re: chicken bones which are everywhere per J.Arnold)

#Dogseatbadthings #chickenbonesareeverywher #GIupsetindo #hiddenchokinghazardsindogs #dogsswallowingbadthings