By Dr. Heather Kovac
The Patient
Misty, a 7 year old labradoodle, was presented to our hospital when her owner saw her passing what appeared to be large pieces of glass in her stool.
The Case
Misty was eating normally, acting happy, and her stools were solid. However, the owner reported that she found many pieces of decorative glass rocks missing from her outdoor fireplace.
It was assumed that Misty had decided to ingest the glass as a snack. A rectal exam revealed normal formed feces with large pieces of semi-smooth edged glass. An x-ray was taken to see just how much glass was ingested and where it was located in her gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). The x-ray showed that Misty’s entire GI tract was full of glass including her stomach, small and large intestines.
Since Misty was not vomiting and was eating normally, we hoped that the foreign material would pass without incident. She was started on a high fiber food to help move things through more quickly and instructed to recheck with us in a few days to see how things were progressing.
This x-ray, taken 48 hours later, shows the glass moving out of her colon with a few pieces remaining in her stomach.
This x-ray, taken 1 week later, shows all the glass has passed.
The Outcome
Thankfully, Misty was not injured by the glass most likely because it was large and chunky with semi-smooth edges and not terribly sharp.
The Takeaway
We are constantly amazed at what our patients will ingest and pass without complication. It’s still incredibly important to be mindful of what your dog eats and to take notice of the signs that your pet may have ingested something that they shouldn’t have.
If your pet is refusing to eat and/or vomiting, lethargic, or not acting their usual selves, contact your veterinarian right away.