Dogs can occasionally become overly greedy while eating and will just chow down on their food so quickly that they may unintentionally eat foreign things like glass which can be dangerous to their health.
In most cases, the only thing you can do if your dog has eaten glass is to take it to the veterinarian right away. It is not recommended to wait for the glass piece to pass naturally from your dog’s body because doing so will only lead to further damage to the body and can be life-threatening for your dog.
If you suspect your dog has eaten glass, this article is for you. We have put up a complete guide on what to do if your dog has eaten glass, as well as the risks and treatments.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Has Eaten Glass?
If your dog has consumed glass, your only best option is to take it to the vet. Because glass pieces or fragments have incredibly sharp edges and can seriously injure your dog’s internal organs.
Even trying to make your dog throw up would not be a smart idea because the glass fragment, on its way out of the body, might severely damage your dog’s esophagus or trachea.
Therefore, never force your dog to vomit if you think it may have swallowed glass. Instead, the best thing you can do to save your pet’s life and prevent major internal injuries is to take it to the veterinarian right away.
There are some misleading suggestions available on the internet that you should never follow if you suspect your dog has eaten glass. Some of the suggestions include giving your dog a piece of bread, making them vomit, and giving them mashed potatoes and canned pumpkins to help them get the glass piece out of their bodies.
In the best-case scenario, a dog, if it has eaten glass, will spit it out right away; this could result in small mouth injuries that will heal on their own. The worst case scenario is that a dog would swallow the glass and it will eventually reach its stomach.
Do Dogs Eat Glass?
Dogs are intelligent enough to avoid ingesting items like glass or metal that could be hazardous to their health. However, dogs may unintentionally consume the glass or a small piece of broken glass. Your dog might eat the glass if it somehow got into its food bowl along with the food.
Should I Wait If My Dog Has Eaten A Glass?
On average, it can take up to 24 hours for a dog to pass a foreign object in its feces. However, waiting is an option if a dog has ingested a smooth and extremely small foreign object. However, glass pieces typically have very sharp edges, thus it is not advised that you wait because it will be injurious to your pet’s life.
You may wait up to 12 hours if your dog has swallowed a tiny and smooth glass piece with no sharp edges. However, this is typically not the case because glass fragments have incredibly sharp edges that can lacerate your dog’s esophagus, trachea, stomach, and intestines.
What Are The Possible Risks If A Dog Has Eaten Glass
The risk of a dog ingesting a glass piece can be severe, perhaps fatal. Some of these risks are listed below:
- First and foremost, a piece of glass can injure your dog’s oral cavity. Your dog’s tongue, soft palate, hard palate, and inside of the cheekscould all be harmed by the glass fragment.
- If your dog ingests the glass, it will risk damaging its esophagus and may possibly harm its trachea.
- Glass can puncture your dog’s stomach or intestines if it has made it there. This can result in peritonitis, an infection of the abdominal cavity that can be fatal and is very challenging to treat.
- Theglass fragment may harm the blood arteries supplying the stomach and intestines, which could cause serious internal bleeding.
- If your dog ingests glass pieces and they make it to the large intestine,they can potentially harm the colon and rectum.
Will My Dog Survive If It Has Eaten Glass?
If dogs are given veterinary care at the appropriate time after eating a glass, they usually survive. Although the dog’s survivability is greatly influenced by the size and shape of the glass piece.
The dog’s body will sustain more damage if the glass piece is large and has sharp edges, hence chances of survival would be slim. But if a dog is taken to the vet right away after eating glass, its chances of survival increase greatly, and its prognosis will be good.
What Are The Treatment Options If My Dog Has Eaten Glass?
If a dog has eaten glass, the only treatment option is surgery, specifically foreign object removal surgery. Prior to performing the surgery, an X-ray, ultrasound, or another diagnostic method will be used to determine the exact location of the glass in the dog’s body. After determining the position of the glass piece in the dog’s body, that part will be opened and the glass piece removed.
After the glass piece has been removed, stitches will be applied to close the surgical wound. Depending on where the surgery was done, you might need to provide your dog with post-operative care. If your dog had surgery on its stomach or intestines, it might need to consume liquids or soft foods until it is fully recovered.
Summary
Glass consumption in dogs is uncommon, but it can occur, and it can be fatal if proper veterinary treatment is not provided on time. Don’t waste time waiting for the foreign object to pass on its own or following false advice from the internet if you think your dog has swallowed glass. If your dog has consumed glass, your only option is to take it to the veterinarian right away.
