My Dog Ate a Crayon What Should I Do?
My Dog Ate a Crayon What Should I Do?
Chances are if you have small kids or grandkids, that you have some crayons laying around the house. These are extremely popular with kids for coloring and drawing. They come in a wide array of colors, making them fun drawing tools for adults.
You’ve read the headline and are probably thinking the same thing we did. Will my dog poop out a rainbow after eating crayons? Well, that’s a funny thought! We don’t blame you for finding this topic humorous. But we can assure you that your fur baby won’t poop out a rainbow. However, if your dog ate a crayon, he may develop some medical issues.
Are Crayons Toxic to Dogs?
Crayons are usually made of paraffin wax and includes various pigments. These substances are not toxic to dogs. However, they may cause your fur baby to feel badly if he’s eaten some.
Symptoms Your Dog Has Eaten a Crayon
Your fur baby may show these symptoms after eating one or more crayons:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Gagging
- Excess salivating
- Loss of appetite
- Gas
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain and bloating
- Lethargy
- Lack of appetite
If your fur baby has chewed up and swallowed a couple of crayons or swallowed only a small part of a crayon, chances are he’ll be OK. The crayon pieces may just go through this digestive tract and come out the other end.
However, if one or more crayons have been swallowed whole, these could present a serious problem such as:
1). Sometimes a crayon can become lodged in a dog’s throat, which can cause choking or even block his airways.
2). In other cases, the crayons could cause something called an intestinal blockage. This is where the swallowed item becomes lodged in your fur baby’s intestines, creating a blockage.
If your fur baby has either of these problems, consider this a medical emergency. You’ll need to call the vet ASAP.
Diagnosis & Treatment for Dog That Swallowed Crayon
The vet will perform a physical exam of your dog and ask questions such as when the incident occurred, how many crayons did your dog eat, did he chew them up or swallow them whole, etc. The vet may want to run some medical tests such as blood work and imaging. Images can show where the crayon is located and if it’s blocking your fur baby’s throat or intestines.
Treatment will depend on the vet’s exam. If your fur baby has a crayon lodged in his intestines, the vet may need to perform surgery to remove the object. If the crayon is caught in your pup’s throat, the vet may be able to remove it with special tools designed for this purpose.
Prompt treatment could save your dog’s life. We hope this never happens to your fur baby and would like to wish you both well!
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My dog swallowed 3 sticks of crayon and I wondered what on earth he saw in it. The crayon lodged in his intestines and when we go to the vet he said they had to perform surgery to remove the objects there. It was scary and honestly, I’m never letting my kids play and leave their stuff out where the dog can easily reach it.
I was in the same situation last week. It blocked my own dog’s intestine but I didn’t realize that on time. We got to the vet and she said if we were a little later than that, we would have lost my dog. It’s true, prompt treatment could save the dog’s life in such a situation. I really don’t hope this never happens again. Any dog experience this can never feel good!
Thank you for this I will be careful enough to keep my children’s crayons and toys out of my dog’s sight. I once saw a dog undergo surgery because he had ingested a lot of lead from pencils. His owner did not take this seriously initially and it led to surgery, thankfully that dog survived the surgery.