Dogs usually don’t choose to eat glass; however, they can mistake glass for something that’s familiar to them. It could be that a round glass Christmas tree ornament looks like a ball to them. What dog doesn’t go nuts for a ball?
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Or it could be your canine companion accidentally got some glass in his mouth when grabbing up some tasty morsel stored in a glass container. The container may have fallen on the floor and broken, and then your dog jumped on the opportunity for a great piece of food. In the process, he may have accidentally swallowed some glass.
There are various scenarios of how a dog may accidentally swallows glass. If the pieces are small, in most cases they should pass through. And keep in mind that most dogs realize their error and will spit out the glass. However, if a dog has actually swallowed glass, and the glass shards were larger, they could pose a health issue for your dog.
My Dog Swallowed Glass – What to Do
If you know for sure your fur baby has swallowed glass, then check his lips, tongue and inside his mouth for blood, which could be a sign your pup was cut. Note any places that appear to have been cut. Next call your vet right away.
In most cases, the vet will not want you to induce vomiting. The reason is that vomiting up the glass bits could cause more damage than when they went down.
The vet will probably recommend giving your dog a piece of bread, canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or mashed potatoes. These will encase the glass and keep it from causing injuries as it passes through your dog’s digestive system. In this case, the glass usually passes through without any complications.
Next, the vet may advise you to watch for any signs of possible issues with your fur baby’s intestinal tract. Signs he may be having trouble can include:
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Blood in the stool and/or black, tarry stools
- Lack of appetite
- Abdominal pain or swelling
These symptoms could indicate your fur baby may have a puncture or an intestinal blockage. If your canine companion shows any of these symptoms, call the vet immediate, as this is a medical emergency. Your dog may require surgery to repair the damage.
Treatment of Glass Ingestion in Dogs
Your vet may run an abdominal radiograph to see where the pieces of glass are located. Glass usually shows up in a radiograph; however, not all pieces may be seen. Once the vet has spotted the glass pieces, he may need to perform surgery to safely remove the bits of glass from your dog’s digestive tract. They will also repair any damage the glass may have caused.
After the surgery, your dog may need to be hospitalized for a day or so. When he’s stable, you can take him home again. The vet may recommend a soft diet for a few days that may include boiled meat (chicken, hamburger, etc.) with plain white rice. Once your fur baby is back on his feet, the vet may recommend mixing your dog’s regular food with some soft, bland meat and rice. After about a week, the vet may say it’s OK for your canine companion to go back on his regular dog food diet.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSafety First
Accidents happen, and dogs have been known to help themselves to food left on a table or counter. However, it’s always best to be on the safe side. Always put glass food containers in the fridge or in a cabinet (that your dog can’t access).
When it comes to glass Christmas ornaments, you may want to consider using unbreakable ornaments, such as those made from plastic or Styrofoam. That way, if your dog does mistake a Christmas ornament for a ball, he won’t accidentally break a glass ball in his mouth.
You can also make sure there are plenty of safe chews and toys for your dog! Try to get him excited about his toys rather than glass containers of food or glass ornaments!
We hope that your pup hasn’t swallowed glass, but if he has, we hope everything comes out OK and that he will avoid glass objects in the future!
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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