When Your Child Swallows a Sock

Seriously, I didn't think I'd be writing another blog post like this four years later. For sure Ewan would have learnt his lesson swallowing a coin which made us panic like any new parent would! We sent him to ER, spent an additional S$500 to call in a Paediatrician, did X-Ray and mushed through his poop every single day to uncover that coin he swallowed. 

Gosh... things moms do with poop and puke.

This morning at 5.30am, I heard my littlest furkins retching at the foot of our bed. Meyer and I sat up and looked down at her. She vomited! I quickly jumped out of bed to check on what she puked. It was mmmm an interesting shape. It was shaped like a poop; long, brown and yucky. How can she puke poop? But I was still half-asleep and truly believed it was poop. Brought that thing into the bathroom and started washing it through. 

Oh My Holy! Moley! 

She swallowed Faye's sock whole! 

Look at her face? She wanted to take that sock she retched out back from me!

We all know how dogs love smelly socks and how they enjoy chewing through them. How bad can it get? The downside we forsaw was that she will start chewing all our clothes thinking they are socks. Never in our wildest dreams we'd think she'd swallow it whole because it is quite big to injest without chewing it apart isn't it?

We traced back on a possible time she might have sneakily done this act. It must be at about 10pm when Meyer was emptying the clothes dryer. While putting our freshly laundered clothes in our laundry basket, he must have dropped this side of Faye's sock onto the floor. Dearest Greedy Gypsie decided to have a good chew. I reckon she must have accidentally swallowed it just like Ewan.

Thank goodness she managed to vomit it out seven hours later. I cannot imagine if it actually choked her windpipe or got stuck in her gut. The former would have left her gasping for breath and the former will have her go through a surgery! That sock will never be able to be pooped out. 

I got paranoid this morning and couldn't let her leave my sight as I prepared Ewan and Faye for school. 

Faye said she wouldn't want to wear that sock ever again *haha* Crazy girl! Why would mommy make you wear this pair of socks ever again?

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR PUPPY SWALLOWS A FOREIGN OBJECT?

If the item was swallowed within two hours, it’s probably still in the stomach. If the object isn’t sharp, feed your pet a small meal first, and then induce vomiting. The food helps cushion the object and protect the tummy, and also pets vomit more easily if the stomach is full. If he doesn't vomit, you’ll need to see a veterinarian. 

For sharp objects go to the vet immediately. It could cause as much damage coming back up if the puppy vomits. 

After two hours, the object will have passed into the intestines and vomiting won’t help. Most objects small enough to pass through the digestive system may be eliminated with the feces and cause no problems. Feed a bulky meal of dry food to cushion stones or other heavy objects, and help them move on out. Food also turns on the digestive juices, which can help soften wads of rawhide treats, so they pass more readily. In most cases as long as it is small enough, objects pass harmlessly through the body and end up on the lawn. Monitor your puppy’s productivity. Use a disposable popsicle stick or plastic knife to chop up and search through the puppy droppings for the object. 

The exception to allowing small objects pass are swallowed metal objects like coins or batteries. DON’T WAIT, get your puppy seen immediately. Stomach acids interact with these metal objects and cause zinc or lead poisoning. String is another dangerous object when swallowed and requires you to seek professional help. 

If you’ve seen the pet swallow something he shouldn’t but it doesn’t pass, or the puppy begins vomiting, retching without result, won’t eat, looks or behaves distressed, or repeatedly coughs, seek help immediately. Any object, even tiny ones, potentially may lodge in and block the intestinal tract.

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