My Dog Ate Birth Control Pills What Should I Do?

Has your dog eaten one or more birth control pills? If so, you’re not alone. For some reason, this is a very common question online. Why would a dog eat birth control pills? He may find the packaging somehow attractive. Perhaps the container looks like a toy or he sees you taking a pill and thinks he may be missing out on a snack!

The good news is that your fur baby should be OK!

What are Birth Control Pills?

Birth control pills are a type of medication that’s prescribed to women in order to prevent pregnancy.  These pills contain a combination of estrogen and progestin, or only progestin. Some birth control pill packs also contain 7 iron pills.

Each package generally contains about 21 tablets of estrogen and/or progesterone and 7 placebo (fake) pills or iron tablets. Each pill contains low amounts of hormones: estrogen pills usually have less than 0.04 mg per tablet.

To cause toxicity in dogs, the dose would be great than 1mg/kg of body weight. For iron, a toxic dose would be great than 20mg/kg. Birth control pills rarely contain toxic hormone levels.

Your dog may suffer some digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, an upset stomach, and/or vomiting but he should be OK.

However, the plastic packaging could cause a bowel obstruction, which could be a life-threatening emergency for your fur baby.

A bowl obstruction is a complete or partial block of the intestines. The blockage keeps solids and fluids in the stomach, unable to be passed through the system.

Symptoms of Bowel Obstruction in Dogs

Symptoms of an intestinal blockage can include:

• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Lack of appetite
• Dehydration
• Bloating and abdominal pain
• Hunching and/or whining (from pain and discomfort)

If your fur baby is showing any of these signs and symptoms after eating the birth control pill packaging, then call the vet immediately.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Bowel Obstruction in Dogs

When you get to the vet, they will ask you questions on when your dog ate the packaging and the subsequent symptoms you’ve noticed. Next, the vet will perform a complete physical exam and may order blood tests, an ultrasound or other imaging tests. The imaging tests can help show where the blockage is located, which can help the vet determine the next course of action. Your canine companion may need surgery to remove the blockage.

If caught and treated early, your dog has a very good chance of surviving and living a long, happy life. And if your fur baby only ate a few birth control pills, he’ll be OK, though he may have an upset tummy afterwards!