03/31/2026
As the weather warms up, we see a big increase in emergency visits for foreign body ingestions. Spring means more time outside, more yard debris, and more opportunities for pets to swallow things they shouldn’t.
At the ER, this often looks like:
🚨 Socks, underwear, and household items
Spring cleaning = more items within reach for curious pets.
🚨 Rocks, sticks, mulch, and landscaping materials
Yard exploration can quickly turn into a dangerous obstruction.
🚨 Corn cobs, skewers, and grill scraps
Backyard gatherings leave behind some of the most common (and most dangerous) items we remove surgically.
🚨 Toys, especially broken ones
Pieces of balls, ropes, and plush toys can easily get lodged in the GI tract.
Signs your pet may have a foreign body:
⚠️ Repeated vomiting
⚠️ Loss of appetite
⚠️ Lethargy
⚠️ Abdominal pain or discomfort
If you think your pet may have eaten something they shouldn’t, don’t wait. The sooner they’re seen in the ER, the more options we have to treat them.