Dogs, as any dog owner knows, have a propensity for getting into mischief. Consider the case where the dog ate a pencil as a good example of a common issue. This can be worrying because pencils aren’t meant to be eaten and can hurt your pet. In this post from Canvas Personalized, we’ll look at why a dog might eat a pencil and what to do if your dog has eaten one.
The Explanation Why My Dog Ate Lead Pencil
Can pencil lead kill dogs? Many pet owners worry when their dog or puppy swallows a pencil lead. Pencil wood and graphite can be toxic to a dog’s digestive system if consumed. The pencil’s pointed and sharp edges may harm the dog’s digestive tract and cause serious health problems.
The reason why a dog ate a pencil may come from their inquisitive and playful temperaments. Due to their small size and potential resemblance to a chew toy or bone, pencils can be irresistible to a dog’s stomach.
Dogs may also chew on pencils or other objects to alleviate boredom, stress, or worry. Due to a medical disorder termed pica, defined by the chronic consumption of non-food objects, dogs may occasionally chew pencils or other non-food items. Or some dogs resort to chewing on pencils to ease teething discomfort or calm their nerves.
So keeping an eye on your dog’s behavior and symptoms is crucial if it swallows pencil splinters. In that case, the dog should be sent to the vet’s office immediately. The vet can suggest watching the dog at home, giving it medication, or even operating to clear any obstructions.
When it comes to dogs eating pencils, prevention is crucial. Dogs might suffer from boredom and anxiety if they don’t have enough to do, so pet owners should keep pencils and other sharp pieces out of reach and provide lots of safe and acceptable chew toys.
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Are Pencils Toxic to Dogs?
Can pencil lead kill dogs? The answer is “no.” A non toxic graphite “lead,” a wooden sheath, and an eraser make up the standard pencil. Despite being composed of carbon, graphite pencils are not considered toxic to dogs. Remember that charcoal pencils are produced to be harmless for children who tend to chew on them, so they must be non-toxic.
Most modern pencils:
- Charcoal Pencils: Are charcoal pencils toxic to dogs? As charcoal is typically produced by burning vegetative matter, such as vines or other types of wood, it shouldn’t pose a harmful risk to your pet’s health (though the wood may still cause damage to the dog’s insides and other physical danger).
- Graphite Pencils: This type is the same as a regular pencil, but it doesn’t have a wooden shaft that is non toxic to your dog’s system.
- Colored pencils: Dyes are used to giving colored pencils with their yellow paint, although the amounts are probably too negligible to cause a dog’s intestines.
The same holds accurate with crayons; your dog may not become sick from eating these mechanical pencils, but it still might choke if it swallows too many dangerous chemicals.
Wooden splinters and shards pose the greatest threat. Suppose your dog ate a pencil for a while before swallowing it; your dog’s mouth and throat are vulnerable. As a result, the wooden shards would have sharp edges and might cause punctures through the dog’s system.
Most dogs may also be at risk from erasers or pencils with poor safety standards. If lodged in the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, it might produce a partial obstruction. Bloat and other health issues can develop if there are remaining pieces of wood fibers.
The obvious association between pencils and lead poisoning causes most dog owners to panic when my dog ate part of a pencil. If this isn’t the first time your dog ingests anything weird, it’s best to take it to the vet’s office or emergency room.
My Dog Ate A Pencil Lead – What Should I Do?
If your dog chews on the pencil or something weird, acting immediately is essential. While a small amount of pencil lead or graphite is unlikely to cause serious harm to your dog, larger amounts of repeated ingestion can be dangerous.
1. Check your dog and call your veterinarian
Take your dog to the emergency vet immediately if it suddenly becomes listless or is in obvious pain. Contact your vet immediately and explain the situation if your dog starts vomiting, which could indicate intestinal obstruction.
2. Watch for symptoms from the dog’s digestive tract
Symptoms of pencil ingestion can include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. Keep a close eye on your dog and note any changes in behavior.
When in doubt, contact a veterinarian. Provide as much detail as possible, such as the dog’s breed, age, size, any peculiar behavior, and the estimated amount of pencil consumed.
3. Making your dog vomit
Your vet tells you to induce vomiting if the pencil was ingested recently. However, do not attempt to induce vomiting without consulting your vet first.
4. Keep an eye on your dog’s stool
Watching your dog’s body closely for the next few hours would be best if the pencil passes through. Over the next few days, you might find wood, eraser, or metal bits in their stool. If you notice anything unusual, contact your vet.
5. Clean up any remaining pieces
Remove lingering pencil shavings or other non-food items from the floor or other areas your dog can reach to prevent future incidents.
The best way is prevention, so keep that in mind. Keep your dog away from any poisonous substances and closely monitor them. Never wait for a vet if you suspect your dog has consumed something dangerous.
6. Recommend feeding to help prevent digestive problems
If your dog recently ingested a pencil, the vet may suggest giving it food to help prevent food from passing through your dog’s body. While some vets may advise you to continue giving your dog the regular diet, others may suggest substituting white bread or other absorbent foods.
But unless your vet tells you to, you should never feed a dog showing signs of a blockage.
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Serious Symptoms When Dog Ate Pencil
In addition to the warning signs your vet may give you, here are some more to keep an eye out for if your dog ate a pencil:
Vomiting
If your dog has an obstruction, especially one in its upper digestive tract, his food will not be able to go through its system. The vomit may or may not contain blood.
Note: Don’t ever make your dog throw up against its will! The pencil can become stuck in the dog’s neck even further.
Difficulty pooping
If there are any obstacles, your dog may have trouble or cannot defecate normally. It can be difficult and even show signs of stress or anxiety. Little amounts of waste and blood may or may not be passed.
Bloody Stools
Pencil wood can do more than just cause a blockage in your dog’s digestive tract. If the pencil wood punctures an organ, your dog may have bloody or smelly poop. When a dog gets hurt in the upper gastrointestinal tract, their poop may turn black and tarry.
Stomach Ache
A blockage or internal wound may also cause abdominal pain. Vocalizations and withdrawal when you attempt to touch its abdomen are two indicators that may indicate your dog is in pain.
Internal bleeding symptoms
Sometimes the pencil can cause major internal bleeding if it punctures the neck, stomach, or intestines.
In addition to the ones listed above, discomfort, tiredness, sadness, and anxiety can also be other signs of blockage, though they happen less often. Even your dog can develop anorexia.
Get your veterinary advice immediately if any of these signs (or your pet is showing signs of obstruction).
Preventative Measures To Avoid Dogs Eating Pencils
You can keep your dog from ingesting pencils by doing the following:
Put pencils away: Put all pencils away in a drawer or a container your dog can’t open. Keep an eye on your pet, especially around sharp objects like pencils.
Give your dog safe things to chew on: It’s in their nature to want to chew, so it will keep them safe from things around the house.
Use the cue “Drop It” to teach your dog: Training your dog to “leave it” or “drop it” can help prevent them from eating pencils. This is important not only when playing games like “fetch” or when it has your slipper but also when he has something more lethal, like a pencil.
Never use a pencil to make fun of your dog: Remember that your dog doesn’t know it isn’t allowed to chew on the pencil you’re using when playing with it.
If you think your dog has swallowed a pencil or something else, you should immediately take it to the vet.
The Dangers Of Dog Eating Wood
Many pups prefer to chew wooden items or swallow something weird. The sight of your dog chewing on a stick or wooden toy may be cute at first, but there are real risks you should be aware of:
Wood, first and foremost, is not good to eat since it can induce choking and intestinal blockages. If your dog swallows a piece of wood that is too big for his or her throat or digestive tract, it could produce a life threatening obstruction.
Due to excessive wood chewing, your dog may experience pain and infection from ingesting wood splinters or other sharp bits lodged in its mouth, throat, or digestive tract.
Yet that’s not the end of the risks. Cedar and redwood, for example, are two types of wood whose oils are hazardous to dogs because they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and skin irritation. Your dog may also be put at risk if he or she ingests toxic chemicals and pollutants from treated or painted wood.
Always watch your pet while they play, and give them safe alternatives to wood chewing to prevent them from ingesting anything harmful.
A dog ate a pencil, which is an everyday occurrence but causes worry for pet owners. Keep sharp objects like pencils and pens out of your furry friend’s reach to avoid sharp shards. If your dog chews a pencil or other foreign object, check out this article from Canvas Personalized and get an emergency vet immediately to guarantee their safety. Regarding the pet’s health, remember that prevention is always preferable to cure.
