My Dog Ate Blistex What Should I Do?

Does your dog try to get your lip balm? It can be a frustrating problem; however, you’re not alone! This is a common issue with pet parents and their fur babies!

Can eating Blistex make your dog sick?

What is Blistex?

Blistex is a type of lip balm that includes emollients to prevent and treat dry skin on the lips. This brand of lip balm may contain:

• Beeswax
• Camphor
• Cetyl alcohol
• Cetyl palmitate
• Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax
• Flavors
• Isopropyl myristate
• Isopropyl palmitate
• Isopropyl stearate
• Lanolin
• Lanolin oil
• Menthol

The good news is that amount of each ingredient isn’t enough to be toxic for your dog. That’s the case even if your dog eats all the lip balm. Your fur baby may develop diarrhea and vomiting, but these should not last long. If they do, or other concerning symptoms appear, then it’s best to call the vet.

Having said that, the container the lip balm was in is another matter. If your canine companion ate the container, too, then it’s possible he could develop an intestinal obstruction. This is a very serious medical emergency.

Symptoms of Intestinal Obstruction in Dogs

Your dog could develop some of the following symptoms after eating the lip balm container:

• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and bloating
• Excessive drooling

If you know for sure or suspect your dog has eaten the lip balm container and is showing any of these symptoms, then you’ll need to call the vet immediately. This is a life-threatening medical emergency.

Treatment of Intestinal Obstruction in Dogs

When you reach the vet, they will first do a physical exam of your dog. Then the vet will order lab work, as well as imaging tests (usually x-rays). The x-rays will show the vet where the obstruction is in your dog’s digestive system.

If the Blistex container is still in your dog’s stomach, the vet may try to get it out by performing an endoscopic procedure.

However, if the lip balm container is lodged somewhere in your dog’s digest tract, the vet will probably have to perform surgery to remove the container safely.

In most cases, dogs who suffer an intestinal obstruction make a full recovery if they’ve received prompt medical care. This is key to your dog’s survival. The faster he receives treatment, the higher his chances of making a full recovery.

If your dog has a penchant for Blistex, then it’s better to keep this lip balm out of his reach or access. That means even keeping your purse, backpack, etc. off the floor and out of your fur baby’s reach.