T Bone's eating habits ruin perfect lazy day

[Kathryn]

Just back from the emergency vet at the University, where vets induced vomiting on T Bone...

It was a perfect day to snuggle with the dogs on the couch, reading a good book and watching the snow storm outside. About 8 to 9 inches of wet snow so far, clinging to trees and shrubs, a winter wonderland. Apparently the roads were clogged, but I wasn't going anywhere.

That was the plan until I let the dogs in the back yard around 3. I took the camera with me to try for a few of those "snowy dog" photos. What I didn't see at first, though, was little junkyard dog T Bone eating the steel wool brush for cleaning the webber grill - I am sure it had lots of good meat smells in it, and he could not resist.

I got the brush away from him but he had already swallowed some steel wool. We called the vet school, which recommended inducing vomiting. I haven't done it, though I have heard you can use hydrogen peroxide. We decided to spend the money at the vet school to be safe instead of experimenting on him ourselves.

Into the car we went, and I drove all the way in second gear (standard transmission, very useful in snow).

No afternoon on the couch, no roast chicken with gravy for dinner. T will get lots of rice as he still needs to eat high fiber to work out anything that is left. And DH is just now outside clearing the snow from our corner-house sidewalks. While T sleeps away in my lap....

He is so lucky I love him....

[bradl]

Oh man! I've seen them eyeing the grill brush here too, but so far they haven't got hold of it. Sheesh T Bone!

An hour ago I saw Granger trotting around proudly carrying something and found him chewing and slobbering over a cork floor sample I'd laid down. Only a tiny piece missing. Cork is fairly benign. But steel wool? Yikes.

[hheldorfer]

Take it easy and get better soon, T-Bone. You don't want to be sick when Santa Paws comes to bring you toys and treats!

Note to self: Remind husband to put his barbecue toys away when he's done playing with them.

[Dempsy's Mom]

T Bone is lucky to have you. So sorry that you all had to go through that - especially with all the snow - just added stress. I know you were looking forward to your lazy day with the dogs. Hope T Bone is ok. Well, maybe next Sunday you can relax. It's nice that T Bone is snoozing on your lap - I bet he is exhausted right along with you.

[_whits_]

Oh my goodness I would be a nervous wreck! I'm so glad that you caught him and took him to the vet to get in sorted. I hope you both get lots of cuddles after that stressful day.

[Islander]

Poor T Bone! And poor you! Glad it all worked out okay. It is amazing how fast they bounce back.

[josie&holly]

Oh, that could have been nasty, glad you saw him and got him to vets. Hope T Bone is now fully recovered and that you have also recovered from your stressful Sunday!

[jo_]

Yikes! Glad to hear T Bone is doing ok. What a cute name!

[Sam I Am]

Lawdy lawdy.....what a scare! Thank goodness you caught him other wise it could have transformed into possible emergency surgery . He will enjoy all the rice and other goodies!

[tlwtheq]

Oh goodness! And they're telling us on the news here how many car accidents are occurring in the heavy snow in Minnesota!

Thankfully you got T Bone the help he needed. Take care!

[Critterlover]

Glad he is ok! how scary is that! im cringing just thinking about it. Scooter eats just about anything on the floor.. or outside.. Whenever he finds a big nasty mushroom outside i always have to pry it out of his mouth.. he holds onto like its prime rib!!

[Hillscreek]

Hope you are ok T-bone. Enjoy your rice!

[kjwarnold]

Wow, steel wool! That's scary! Glad he's doing okay.

[MegsMom]

As a Holiday reminder/warning, know your chocolate, type & amount likely to be problematic, and packing peanuts!

The hydrogen peroxide works, as does salt water or ipecac, since news has come out that H2O2 may cause esophigeal ulcers if used. But it's what I had, what I'm familiar with; my ER is 20 mins away and 'handling it' meant 'something out' faster. Beware of some new packing peanuts, approx 1/2inch diameter, 2 inches long, rod-shaped and a very light cream color. Normally that's well-controlled here, and a yell of "Mine" stops a grab, but one peanut took a big flying leap, landing in front of one of the furbutts and one quick whiff and it went down. I thought it over for about 15 secs and grabbed the H2O2 and headed for the backyard. Had to rethink the entire issue, when the deposited results didn't include said peanut--although I'd also been shocked that it had been so quickly scarfed up. So I dashed inside & grabbed another peanut & dunked it under the faucet--ooh, lovely, now a slimy gelatinous mass in my hand; bit more water and more like slimy liquid in my hand, more water and well, I had had something in my hand. And just to be thorough, I tested another with H2O2 with the same results. They're new 'safe' and apparently pet-friendly, dissolveable/recyclable packing peanuts. I don't think I'll make a habit of allowing them to scarf packing peanuts though, even made of corn starch, if there's an allergy, I'm betting there might be some itchies on the horizon.

If I used H2O2 often, I might heed the esophigeal ulcer warning more readily, but I haven't used it in years so felt there wasn't a risk this time, and dinner had been shortly before. But for those who might need to know, the H2O2 you use needs to be from a freshly opened, in date, container. (There really is a date on H2O2, once opened it loses it's effective fizziness very shortly.) It's about 1 tablespoon for cairns--do check with your vet for their opinion and guidelines, they may have different instrucs. [Do put a 'check with vet' on your list, you know this Never happens during regular business hours!] In adverse weather, a paper-covered ex-pen, garage or enclosed shower or bathtub can be used for easy cleanup. (I also keep several large empty plastic flower pots on hand to 'cover' the results to keep another from scarfing; or "X" marks the spot to clean up.)

[tlwtheq]

Thanks for the info...as our lives become more technically challenging it follows these complications occur for

our nonhuman family members as well.

Actually should have said as we become more aware of technical details....it's clear these facts

have been there for a long time without general public knowledge.

Edited December 10, 2012 by tlwtheq

[pkcrossley]

full and complete instructions!

we've all had cairn foolhardiness with food and other small objects ruin perfectly good holidays. glad all came out right, as it were.

[TazTalk]

That is so scary. The thought of steel wool being ingested ... Yikes. So glad it all worked out. We spent a 4h of July in the ER with Taz and a rib bone in his belly.

[Sam I Am]

All I can say is, thank goodness we all love these little devils!

[Hawkeye]

Thank goodnes he is fine and everything worked out for you. That must have been very frightening. They do keep us on our toes.

Thanks for the info, I will keep this in mind if ever....

[Kathryn]

T Bone is fine now, though still on his "soft" diet for a while -- which he loves -- to ensure his throat is okay. (I would have a sore throat too if I had to vomit steel wool...). He is back to being his usual cairn terrierist.

With all the reports on this forum lately about cairns who have eaten the wrong thing -- Freddie with his cat toy and Sassy with a possible chunk of bully stick -- it amazes me that this breed of dog didn't become extinct....

[tlwtheq]

They take what comes and stand up to it, no doubt!

[Dempsy's Mom]

Glad T Bone will be ready for Christmas snacks ...... minus the steel wool.

[sanford]

I'm late to this topic, but just want to add that last summer, there were several reports on TV news warning that steel barbeque brushes were bad for people, too! In a few emergency room cases, steel bristles that were stuck to the grills became imbedded in the burgers that that people ate. The bristles ended up stuck in people's throats, stomachs, etc. The message was to not use steel brushes on grills, but I don't remember what alternative was suggested.