Whether you own one or not, dogs bring so much joy into our lives. Their boundless energy, unconditional love and little personality quirks just can’t help but make you smile.
For dog owners, that joy is also sometimes intertwined with frustration as our pooches love to keep us on our toes. From barking at random things in the middle of the night to acting as undercover detectives when you’re just trying to eat your snack in peace, our trusty companions can occasionally test our patience.
Then there are the times when our four-legged besties get our pulses racing – and not because we’ve taken them for a brisk walk but because they’ve eaten something they shouldn’t have.
“Unfortunately, dogs—and even some cats—can and will eat almost anything,” Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “From fake grass mats and corn cobs, to rocks, skewers, bedding, and even hearing aids, we’ve seen pets swallow some incredibly unusual and dangerous items over the years.”
This was the scary experience of one family recently, who had to rush their Border Collie to a remote vet while on a caravanning holiday, after she ingested a common item found in motorhomes and regular houses.
“We’ve arrived in Carnarvon, WA, and our dog wasn’t herself for the last 24 hours – off to the vet to find a bowel obstruction requiring surgery,” the family wrote on Facebook. “So within 2 hours of the visit, she was X-rayed and operated on. Motto of the story – don’t let your dogs near fake grass mats – she had 1 meter in her belly from stomach to bowel where it had balled up and caused an obstruction.”
They added, “Why she decided to eat this is beyond comprehension, but she did, and we’re just putting it out there in case any others use these – keep them away from your dogs.”
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Fake grass potentially dangerous for dogs
Retailing for around $20 from hardware stores like Bunnings, fake grass mats are a popular feature of caravan and camping trips as they provide an effective way to remove sand and dirt from shoes before entering the van or tent. Some people also use them to line the steps of their vans to make them more comfortable for their dogs’ paws when entering and exiting.
However, even if you aren’t a camper, there are plenty of uses for fake grass mats in the home, including toilet training pups, which means dog owners could have a potential hazard on their hands without even realising it.
“Thanks for the info because I know a lot of people use fake grass for toileting their dogs as well,” one person wrote in reply. “So glad your baby is ok, travel safe.”
“I hope she is ok. Crazy what they eat. Thanks for the warning,” another said.
My son’s miniature dachshund had the same thing. They had some in their backyard under the camper trailer. Fake grass is not good,” wrote another.
“Gosh, we’ve never had issues with that, but one of our dogs used to like to eat stones,” a fourth added.
“So sorry to hear. Thanks for the warning. I never use fake grass mats. Same with stuffed toys, and those cheap type rope pull dog toys can do the same.”
Other items dogs might accidentally ingest
Several other people weighed in with their own stories of things their dogs had eaten, ranging from a used sanitary pad, a whole rotten cattle carcass, fish hooks and sunglasses.
“The tricky reality is that dogs commonly eat a variety of inappropriate items – rocks, sewing needles, towels, etc, resulting in obstruction and/or potential perforation”, Dr Patricia Rosentein from SASH says of the problem.
Nadia agrees, telling us, “At Pet Insurance Australia, we’ve recently handled claims involving everything from erectile dysfunction medication to oodles of underwear, socks, batteries, fish hooks, sewing tools, and more.
“I have personally seen a veterinary case of a young dog swallowing a knife, which made for a very interesting X-ray!”
Is it safe to have fake grass if you have a dog?
Among the comments on the Facebook post, there were several people who said they used fake grass mats and had never had a problem with their dogs ingesting it.
“We have a synthetic turf business and we have donated so much grass every year for the last 10 years to rescue groups and animal refuges and RSPCA and have installed for guide dogs Qld,” one said. “We also donate to farmers for birthing of lambs when there is drought and there’s no hay. We have NEVER had any issues with dogs or other animals eating grass causing obstructions. Who knows what causes them to eat items that are not food, but some just do.”
“In reality, pets are curious by nature, and they often indulge in strange and unexpected tastes,” says Nadia. “The best way to prevent ingestion incidents is through supervision, especially in unfamiliar environments like campsites and caravans. Keep tempting items out of reach, always have safe chew toys on hand, and teach essential commands like ‘leave it’ to help manage your pet’s impulses.”
Dr Rosenstein adds, “Some dogs are more prone to dietary indiscretion than others. The best way to prevent these sorts of scenarios is to prevent access, particularly when a pet is unsupervised. As with most things in life, decision making for this potential problem needs to be on a case-by-case basis.”
What are the dangers of ingestion in dogs?
Dr Rosenstein tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the biggest risk for a dog ingesting a fake grass mat (or any other foreign object) is gastrointestinal obstruction, which can result in a range of serious complications, including vomiting, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and even death if left untreated.
Adds Nadia, “Ingestion is not just incredibly scary for pet owners and pets. It can also be very costly. The average treatment cost without surgery is around $1,064, the average treatment cost with surgery is $5,067, and the highest treatment cost with surgery is an eye-watering $41,671.”
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So whether you have fake grass at home or in your caravan, deterring your dogs from eating foreign objects is super important.
“A pet deterrent spray is handy for rocks and other items you notice your dog is interested in,” says Nadia. “For objects your pets need to use, like plastic fake grass on stairs or the like, the best prevention is supervision and training. Prevention through awareness and close supervision could save your pet from a serious health emergency—and save you thousands in vet bills.
“Accidents happen daily to unsuspecting dog owners, particularly if your dog is not typically a ‘chewer’; however, you could be caught out with an item your dog has never explored, so supervision for any dog of any age is paramount.”
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