Dogs, especially puppies, are hard to control when they’re in their full playtime mode. As pet owners, we’re responsible for calming them down before they get into unwanted accidents. Playtime can sometimes be a headache for most of us since these curious beings who love to eat will always put something in their mouth as long as it fits. What’s worse is that they swallow these objects, which could be dangerous to their health.
One thing that dogs love to chew on is paper towels. If you’re a dog owner, you probably caught your dog chewing more than once the poor paper towel that dropped on the floor. Of course, your initial reaction is to chase after your dogs since we wouldn’t want them swallowing it.
Dr. Karyn Kanowski, a veterinarian, said that the good news is, in most cases, eating paper towels won’t cause any problems. While that may be a big “phew” moment, it doesn’t mean that we should just let them be, especially when faced with thicker paper towels!
If you’re here, then your dog probably swallowed a paper towel, and it’s driving you crazy. The first step is to breathe and calm down as we address your concerns one by one. Read along to learn more about the health implications of dogs swallowing paper towels
What Happens After My Dog Swallowed on Paper Towels?
Now, if your dog swallowed some tissue paper, don’t fret just yet, as they will most probably be fine. Tissue papers are thin, and they usually dissolve in your dog’s stomach full of gastric acid. The main place that tissue paper would likely cause problems is the esophagus. But as the tissue paper travels down your dog’s body, the moisture will likely dissolve, and it will be incredibly hard to cause problems in the muscular esophagus.
But if we’re talking about thicker tissue paper, then there would be more risks for your dog to develop an esophageal obstruction, but it would hardly cause a blockage in your dog’s digestive tract.
Listed below are the signs that your dog may have contracted esophageal obstruction:
- Regurgitation (Vomiting)
- Having a hard time swallowing
- Exaggerated swallowing
- Too much drooling
- Gagging/coughing
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Do I Need to Take My Dog to The Vet?
Looking at the signs above, if your dog is experiencing any of these excessive practices, then it’s time to take them to the veterinary clinic. It may or may not translate to esophageal obstruction, but it’s better to be sure.
Treatment actually depends on the severity of the situation and whether your dog is able to swallow. If they can, then expect the veterinarian to “administer water or lubricate fluid” into a dog’s mouth so that it pulls the paper towel into the stomach. Other treatments may be as far as retrieving the paper towel using an endoscope device.
However, if you think your dog is alright and is still at their normal and happy self, then you may subject them to careful observation. As soon as you observe that your dog has any of the following unusual actions, then it’s time to contact your vet. These include:
- Discomfort or pain
- Lack of appetite
- Rigid abdomen
- Vomiting all the time
- Unusual panting
- Too much drooling
- Dehydrated
As an owner, you would know if your dog is experiencing any discomfort or pain as you would usually see it in their everyday actions. If they’re not their usual selves, then you know that something is wrong, and it needs to be addressed immediately.
Why Do Dogs Eat Tissue Paper?
For the million-dollar question, why do dogs eat tissue paper? The answer is simply their playful nature. But if this is a repeated occurrence, then your dog might feel the following:
- Boredom
- Attention-seeking acts towards busy owners
- Having too much fun playing around
- Tastes/smells great, especially when the aroma of food lingers around
- Behavioral issues that need some intervening by your vet
To prevent them from doing so, buy a tasty treat that they could munch on instead or a toy that they could play with. In the case of puppies for instance, buy them a toy that they could play with as their gums are itchy for having something to bite on. But most importantly, owners must keep watch of their dogs at all times and never let them eat a tissue or any other object in general.
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From The Club
As the owner of a one-year-old chihuahua, I could relate to this problem of chewing on paper towels; worse is that she would eat anything that she sees on the floor. Honestly, I felt scared upon learning that a paper towel could harm dogs in a way, so I will need to keep an extra eye out for her when she’s out of her doggy cage. We’ve also tried to keep her busy by stacking up on toys that she could play with instead. Well, it’s a work in progress, but all we want as dog owners is for them to be happy and safe.