If you’re sure your dog ate tampon, you should call your vet or local animal hospital right away. It’s a surprisingly a common issue. Over 6300 searches occur each month on the matter. It can evolve into a serious issue without proper guidance.
When you speak with your vet they will ask questions like:
- How much of the tampon was eaten?
- What type of tampon was it? Brand and ingredients will be helpful to share.
- When was the tampon consumed?
- Is your dog having any symptoms?
Why Are Tampons Dangerous?
Tampons are designed to expand and absorb fluids, so they can cause a lot of serious health problems if ingested. If a tampon expands within your dog’s body, it can cause a digestive blockage.
Your vet may recommend x rays to determine the location and risks posed but emergency surgery may be the safest option to eliminate life threatening risks.
Blockages can occur for up to 4 days after a tampon has been eaten, so even if your vet sends you home, you’ll need to monitor your pet closely.
Your dog could also choke on a tampon depending on the size of it and how much they eat. If your dog is coughing or gasping for air, chances are they are choking on the tampon and need to be seen by a vet immediately.
If your dog eats a tampon that’s still in the wrapper, the plastic could cut or tear your dog’s intestines.
Symptoms to Watch For
If your dog eats a tampon, you’ll want to look out for the following symptoms:
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Disinterest in food
- Erratic or unusual behavior
- Choking/ gasping for air
- Strange body positions
Why Do Dogs Eat Tampons?
As we said before, it’s pretty common for dogs to want to eat tampons. We’re not exactly sure why that is, but most likely it has something to do with animals being attracted to the scent of blood. You may have noticed your dog becoming strangely interested in your latest cut or scrape. Dogs are carnivores, after all! They want to eat all sorts of things that aren’t meant to be consumed, but a tampon is a particularly dangerous one and should be taken very seriously.
How to Keep Your Dog From Eating Tampons
The best way to mitigate this problem and keep your dog healthy is to take steps to prevent them from having access to tampons. You can do this by:
- Getting a pet-proof trash can that has a lid that locks or that isn’t easily opened
- Keeping your bathroom door closed at all times
- Putting used tampons in a closed plastic bag before throwing them away
- Eliminating the use of tampons entirely. There are many other alternatives on the market today that your dog will not be interested in eating or will not have access to, such as period underwear or a menstrual cup.
Accidents happen and your dog is certainly not the first to eat one, but you still need to act quickly to make sure an accident doesn’t turn into a major health concern. Always contact your vet and follow their advice to keep your pet safe in an emergency situation.
Please help us prevent this event from happening to other dogs. Share this knowledge or blog post with friends and family members who own dogs and use tampons.
