HELP:Should I be concerned?!?!?!?!? (updated 3/14/09)

[Shannon]

Ok so I left this morning for work and like normal put Marley in her "house" with her Kong toy stuffed with Peanut Butter and the water bowl filled with ice cubes. I came home tonight to find the water bowl half gone (see picture attached). It is one of those plastic ones that snap on to travel with.....should I be concerned and take her to the vet? She seems to be acting like herself but I dont want the plastic to do any damage to her insides....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks-
Shannon and Marley

**UPDATE** Well she made it through the week but last night start vomiting about every two hours (didnt know that a dog could vomit that much) until about 12:30 this morning. Then she tried again around 4:45 with just bial coming out (I cant believe there was anything left in her stomach!). So I took her to the vet this morning just to see -- havent heard anything yet so trying to keep myself busy. Could use some good thoughts our way!

[Doris]

Oh my. I would call the vet. Check to see what type of plastic it is before you call. It should say on the bottom. Sending warm doodle thoughts that this is no big deal . . . . Doris and Bodi

[Tegan]

I wouldn't be too worried unless she starts showing signs of a blockage (vomiting,diarrhea, lethargy, or signs of pain). Kali has eaten all kinds of weird stuff (socks, a ball launcher, sticks, rocks, etc.) and has always either passed the items or thrown them back up. At this point i'm not sure the vet could do much other than do an xray to find out where the bits of plastic are. I would keep a really close eye on her until she passes the pieces of plastic though. If she does show any signs of distress I would get her to the vet asap. You would really be amazed by what can pass through a dog's digestive system. A friend of mine's dog got into the garbage and ate a large plastic bag full of ribs (he didn't even chew through the bag, just ate it whole). The next day he passed it all, the bag still whole just full of poo.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Hmmm-looks like someone was hungry! I have had dogs eat plastic toys, etc and it usually makes it way out to the lawn in time. Once my daughters got plastic beads for Christmas. After all the wrapping was cleaned up, we couldn't find the beads anywhere. A few days later, I found them out in the yard...surrounded by you-know-what. At least it was colorful!
Seriously, I wouldn't worry unless Marley seems distressed. He probably took off small pieces at a time that will pass through. But calling the vet wouldn't hurt, either and may make you feel better, too!

[Shannon]

Thanks everyone -- I called the vet right after I wrote this -- they are having me watch her very closely but as of now she is acting like her normal crazy self. They are also having me add a bit of Metamucil to her food to help "bind" the plastic to her food.

Thanks to everyone for their advice! Luckily she will be in Doggie Day Care tomorrow so someone will be with her all day....

[Tamara & Giada]

I don't know how many things (flip flops, carpet,stuffed toys) Giada eat before she got out of that chewing stage, and she is fine. I think if your puppy acts fine he is probably ok :)

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

From my experience (unfortunately I have a lot), it takes several days to see any effects or for the item to reappear. Some symptoms of a problem: not pooping as much as usual, not wanting to eat, restlessness, throwing up (nothing comes up). If it was pieces.

I wouldn't be too overly concerned because I bet she chewed off several small pieces and I would think these would pass. The times we had problems it involved a plastic drain cover (swallowed whole) and a large piece of a tennis ball.

Keep us updated.

[Zoe, Benny and Tyler]

I think I don't have anything to add. Just watch her if anything changes in her behavior otherwise it will just come out again I guess. Benny also ate the strangest things which all appeared again the new day :). Good luck!

[Shannon]

Well she made it through the night -- she vomited once andlittle bits of plastic emerged but has taken her Metamucil Food and a bit of water this morning and is now playing like crazy. Hopefully she is out of the woods but I am going to keep an eye on her today just to make sure.

Thanks for all your advice!!!

[Marianne *OZZY & ZOEY]

Watch to see if she starts eating grass and trying to make herself throw up, then you may have a problem, if not it will pass through. One of my dogs at remote controls VHS tapes and CD's even once the Alarm Key for my car and the alarm kept going off while we were in the vets office...funny now but not then. Amazing how stronge their stomachs can be.

[Linda and Murphy]

I am LOL at he Alarm key!
Murphy has eaten all kinds of things. I am the offical pooper scooper for the yard so I thought I recognized something strange in the poop....money, the folding kind.
There seemed to be an awful lot of it. ..so I got out the clorox and sorted through.
My best estimate is $47...but there was probably more. Not exactly sure where he got it...someone's jean pocket is the best guess.
Murphy money.

[Kim Williams]

Linda,
Your stories about Murphy crack me up. Whenever I need a laugh I look for your posts about Murphy and always get a laugh!!! I really appreciate a good sense of humor and YOU and MURPHY are GREAT!!! I can just picture the "disection of currency" and lol!!!
Kim and Parris

[Jeri]

I am glad you called the vet. How old is Marley? When my Sam was 12 weeks old he ate a rubber toy,My husband was watching him chew on it. They are so quick. He was vomiting shortly afterward and when the vet gave him the sedation drug for surgery he vomited up a big chunk of the toy. They did not do the surgery. He was fed spinach and baby meat food in small amounts when he was awake. Kept it down and I took him home. 7 hours later he pooped the rest out. I always keep spinach in the house. They love it and it did work. I fed him spinach and the baby food for the next 24 hours. Boy did he LOVE that diet.

The next time this happened( he is a big chewer) we did the spinach diet and than he got rice and boiled chicken or boiled hamburger mix for a week. Not sure if he ate a toy or just was sick.

He is now 15 mo and 86 #. I think I will switch to metal water bowels after seeing your pic. He only gets Nyla bones. HIs stuffed toys are under supervision. Rope toys are the very big strong ones and those die quickly. His frissbee is only under supervision or he would eat it. But he does not bother anything else in the house. He knows what are his toys. He loves sticks and that I have to watch, because I know he must eat some of them. Hard to watch them 24 hours a day.Sending warm doodle thoughts. I think all plastic doggie water and food bowels should be banned.