Eaten foam rubber from mattress - advice

[Doggone Mad]

Having recently told friends that H is much better at not chewing things, hey presto he has just chewed quite a substantial hole in my bed's mattress the little blighter  .  I stupidly left the door to my bedroom open while I went off to do my piano practice (he usually lies down quite happily for a snooze in the hall outside) and after 40 mins or so I found him up on the bed, tail wagging with stuffing in his mouth 

There is quite a large piece of foam rubber missing ie must be inside him  so I rang my vet to check if should make him sick but been told not to, but if he shows any signs of sickness/distress to give them a buzz. 

Has anyone out there had there cocker do something similar ? 

 
 

[Annette]

No, never had that.

But I do hope he has no ill-effects. Apart from being banned from the bedroom now!

[SJP]

Yes!
Many years ago my Golden Retriever ate a foam sponge left over from a fun run.  We tried to make him sick as the vet suggested and he brought up a bit which we thought was the whole thing but it wasn't.

He got thinner and thinner and was sick after every meal (just a little bit) and as it was quite a long time after eating said foam we didn't associate them.  The vet took him in to do a barium (sp?) thingy on him but rang me to say they were going to operate straight away and removed it.  It was quite black and revolting and said it would have killed him in the end.  Barney went on to live to a good age of 13 and the only issue he had after the op was a very sensitive stomach

Please don't leave it too long before going to the vet with him.

[Doggone Mad]

Yes!
Many years ago my Golden Retriever ate a foam sponge left over from a fun run.  We tried to make him sick as the vet suggested and he brought up a bit which we thought was the whole thing but it wasn't.

He got thinner and thinner and was sick after every meal (just a little bit) and as it was quite a long time after eating said foam we didn't associate them.  The vet took him in to do a barium (sp?) thingy on him but rang me to say they were going to operate straight away and removed it.  It was quite black and revolting and said it would have killed him in the end.  Barney went on to live to a good age of 13 and the only issue he had after the op was a very sensitive stomach

Please don't leave it too long before going to the vet with him.

Oh my gosh.  When I rang my vet they said not to make him sick BUT to bring him in if he showed signs of being sick/unwell/unable to go to toilet etc.   

[Nicola]

I hope Hamish is ok Pat, norty boy... I would keep a close eye on him but wouldn't hesitate in getting him to the vet asap if you think he's looking a bit iffy or just not himself 

[SJP]

I didn't mean to frighten/scare you....just wanted you to be aware.  Its got to come out one end or the other, so if your vet is saying its not necessary to make him sick....check his poos!

If it was me - I would take him to the vet anyway just to be on the safe side.

[Doggone Mad]

Thanks for your replies.  He's booked in for an adolescent check-up on Tue so may bring this forward so can get the vet to check him over re this too. 

When out on walks he tends to go into the most out of the way places to do his business ie up/down steep inclines under trees/bushes so don't always get a chance to check his poos.  May try keeping him on the lead at the start of his walks until he has "performed" so can monitor what comes out the other end. 

[Doggone Mad]

He got thinner and thinner and was sick after every meal (just a little bit) and as it was quite a long time after eating said foam we didn't associate them. 

Just for info, when you say it was quite a long time after eating it roughly how long ? 

[suzysu]

Oh dear, they do worry us dont they    Hope he will be ok x

[starboy]

Although Theo my cocker isn;t prone to chewing things, my springer is always at it. In the past he has had to have surgery to remove a dog toy from his stomach and just before Christmas he ate part of another one. He did vomit part of it back up but we took him to the vet. As he was still drinking water the vet suggested that we gave him liquid parrafin for a couple of days to see if that would help him to part with anything still left in his stomach and happily it worked and came out the other end!
Apollo is 8 this week and we still have to supervise him all the time with even the best dog toys not to mention slippers, shoes and sticks.
Hoping that yoor boy will be ok

[SJP]

He got thinner and thinner and was sick after every meal (just a little bit) and as it was quite a long time after eating said foam we didn't associate them. 

Just for info, when you say it was quite a long time after eating it roughly how long ? 

I can't remember, we are talking about 1983 and my menopausal brain can't remember anything.  I should think it was a while because we didn't really associate the sickness and thinness with the foam.  Sorry not much help really.

[Doggone Mad]

He got thinner and thinner and was sick after every meal (just a little bit) and as it was quite a long time after eating said foam we didn't associate them. 

Just for info, when you say it was quite a long time after eating it roughly how long ? 

I can't remember, we are talking about 1983 and my menopausal brain can't remember anything.  I should think it was a while because we didn't really associate the sickness and thinness with the foam.  Sorry not much help really.

Gosh that's a long time ago no wonder you can't remember - no worries.  I've brought forward Hamish's adolescent check-up at the vets to this afternoon so will speak to her about this "incident" & see if she suggests giving him liquid parrafin.  I've been checking his poos and so far nothing.  Got quite an art to it now - clear plastic bag for uplift, seal, put into larger heavy duty clear plastic bag for full squishy analysis before deposit in bin - lovely !!!   

[SJP]

My OH said it would depend on whether he's eaten a large chunk or lots of little bits.  Good point I thought (He does sometimes excell himself).

[caro]

Only just caught this - what did the vet say?

[Doggone Mad]

Only just caught this - what did the vet say?

Not gone yet, seeing the vet at 4.30pm today.  Just found the first couple of bits of foam rubber in his poos (yuck !), so fingers crossed he chewed the rest of it into small bits which will hopefully pass through him too.  I think some passers by in the park were wondering what on earth I was doing prodding around his "output" with a stick - the joys of dog ownership