Did you know that soft, linear foreign objects like string or thread are as life-threatening to dogs as splintered bone? It’s true. Their benign appearance belies the underlying danger. That’s why we don’t use dog rope toys at Rescue Ranch, for example. How much harm can a single thread do? Just ask Zion.
Zion’s thread ordeal
At the end of last week, staff member Sandy Nolen noticed that Zion, named for the national park, was uncharacteristically lethargic and off her food. She’s normally a happy, energetic girl. The next day saw no improvement. Her temperature was low rather than high, and she walked like a dog with tummy problems.
A blockage was a possibility, but there weren’t any objects in her space that she could have ingested. Could it be food? Was she ill? AliCarmen Carico noted the dog’s dull, sunken eyes and her listless demeanor when she confined her to the medical crate. Over the weekend Zion vomited then stopped drinking on her own. She was given fluids and scheduled for the vet on Monday.
Exploratory surgery saves Zion
Animal Medical Hospital stabilized Zion, but her condition didn’t improve. Nothing showed up on X-ray or ultrasound. The only remaining option was exploratory surgery. The vet made an incision along the full length of the abdomen and took a look inside. There, she found the culprit: a single, thin thread running from Zion’s stomach to her colon. Wherever the dog had picked it up, it was now slicing through her intestine like a razor. The surgeon resected several inches of intestine and stopped any leakage into the abdominal cavity.
Zion made it. She went home with seven different medications and is convalescing with her former foster mom, Ali.
Ali reports that Zion’s eyes are bright and lively again. She’s eating 1/2 cup of can with rice and chicken every few hours, and no longer needs her anti-nausea meds. A friendly, social young dog, Zion is smart as a whip and will make a wonderful addition to some lucky family when she’s ready.
Mitigating the danger of soft linear foreign objects
Threads and strings can bunch and cause blockages. They can also cut. The latter occurs when one end of the thread sticks in the stomach while the rest of it flows into the intestines. Because it’s fixed at the top, the dog can’t pass it and it cuts through the intestine wall. Something along those lines happened to Zion.
Unfortunately, we can’t prevent freak accidents. They can happen anywhere and it only takes a second. The dog sniffs something interesting and swallows it. We can, however, mitigate the risk by doing our best to keep their environment free of potential dangers.
At home, use sturdy toys and accessories that won’t fall apart easily. When they do, get rid of them.
If your dog is a known chewer/swallower/destroyer, be extra careful. Try heavy rubber toys, and don’t overlook cloth, blankets, towels, ropes, strings, clothing, doggy bed filling, stuffies, or pillows when dog-proofing.
