It is surprisingly common for a dog to eat earrings due to dogs seeing their humans handling the earrings and presuming that they may be food.
Even the best-trained dogs out there have been known to quickly swallow an earring given the chance so it’s understandable that we see a surprising number of people reaching out each month worried because their dog ate an earring.
Thankfully, the majority of the time this will not cause a problem and the dog will naturally be able to pass the earring without you having to do anything.
The smaller the dog breed or the larger the earring, the more potential problems that can be presented though so you will have to check your dog poop to confirm that the earring has actually been passed.
There are also a few tips and tricks that we have to share with our readers to help them speed up the process if required as well as to ensure that their dog is in the best of health while it has the earring in its digestive system as well as after it has passed the earring.
We have also added our table of contents below to allow our readers to quickly and easily skip to any specific sections of the article without having to skim everything too.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Ate An Earring?
There really is not much that you have to do if your dog eats an earring other than looking for obvious signs of distress in your dog and checking its poop for the earring for a few days as most dogs will be able to pass a small earring without issue.
If the earring is larger then there are a few things that you can do to help your dog pass the earring quicker like feed it a high fibre dog food and try a laxative.
Even if the earring is small and you have a large dog breed, it can still be a good idea to get some high fibre dog treats so that they can wrap around the earring in your dog’s digestive system as your dog passes it.
This can help to protect your dog’s insides while the earring is inside of it and prevent it from being scratched while also making it easier for your dog to pass the earring when the time comes.
Be sure to keep your dog’s water bowl full while supplementing their diet with a high in fibre supplement as they will tend to be thirsty more often and require more water than usual each day.
Ensuring that your dog is properly hydrated can also help to improve its digestion and help it pass the earring easier and quicker too.
How Long Does It Take For A Dog To Poop Out Earrings?
The majority of dogs should be able to naturally pass an earring that they ate in ten to twenty-four hours without issue.
If you have not noticed the earring in your dogs poop in that time then you may want to try a laxative to help your dog pass the earring. If you have not noticed the earring in your dogs poop after 48 hours the you should seek advice from a vet.
Ideally, you will be supplementing your dog’s diet with some high fibre dog treats as soon as possible after realising that your dog has swallowed an earring.
Not only can these help to reduce the amount of time required for your dog to pass the earring but it can also help to protect your dog while the earring goes through its digestive system.
We know that it is a messy business but you really do have to play close attention to your dog’s poop if they swallow an earring to try and make sure that they have passed it within 48 hours at the most. If not then booking a video call with a professional vet is highly recommended as they will be able to offer you specialist advice tailed to your situation.
A video call with a vet is usually cheaper and quicker than a trip to your local vets with the advice still being from a fully qualified veterinarian.
Can You Make A Dog Vomit And Earring Back Up?
You should not try to force your dog to vomit to bring an earring that it swallowed back up but some dogs will naturally vomit the earring back out.
If this does occur then it can save a large amount of worry and stress in both you and your dog while waiting for the earring to pass through your dog’s digestive system.
We know that there are a large number of “home remedies” to make a dog vomit but we would avoid all of these.
Ideally, if you do need to try and make your dog vomit the earring back up due to it being lodged in your dog then a professional veterinarian should be used. They have access to chemicals that can quickly make your dog vomit without any potential side effects.
If your dog starts to vomit naturally after swallowing your earring but is unable to bring the earring up and keeps trying to vomit then seeking advice from a vet should be your immediate course of action.
Constant vomiting can cause your dog a number of issues in a short period of time so you really do have to seek professional assistance as soon as possible.
Do You Have To Do Anything Once Your Dog Pooped Out The Earring?
Once your dog has pooped the earring that it swallowed out there really isn’t much that you have to do.
Check your dogs poop for signs of blood for a few days and any signs of obvious discomfort while pooping but the majority of the time, there won’t be any additional problems, especially if you used high in fibre dog food or treats to assist the process.
You have probably guessed it but if you do notice blood in your dog’s poop or signs up paint and discomfort in your dog while it poops then get advice from a professional veterinarian.
Although rare, some dogs may require a short operation to help stitch any rips or tears in your dogs intestine after passing an earring.
If this is not dealt with in a short period of time then the issue can deteriorate with your dog’s health eventually declining and in some cases may present an actual risk of death.
In some rare cases, a dog may pass most of the earring after swallowing it and processing it while still having a small part of the earring inside of it that has to be surgically removed quickly.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over what you should do if your dog ate an earring to a close. Thankfully, the majority of the time your dog will either vomit the earring back up or pass it naturally in a day or two without there being any other issues. Sometimes though, you will have to get a vet involved to help your dog or run the risk of your dog developing some real health issues that can potentially put your dogs life in danger.
