 The Short Answer is: |
There is very little chance that your dog will be harmed if it eats just one band-aid. Since a small strip of sticking plaster is soft, it won’t harm the dog’s digestive system as it moves along, and it is unlikely to get stuck in the throat or intestine. Due to its plastic composition, it won’t be digested by the dog and it will pass through their system to their stool. The only exception would be if the adhesive on the underside of the plaster would get stuck in your dog’s throat. However, if it gets stuck in your dog’s throat, then your dog will be coughing and retching to try and vomit in order to remove it. |
The purpose of this article is to explain “My Dog Ate A Band Aid“.
Greetings! Hello and welcome to another of my blog posts about the strange things that dogs eat.
Lastly todays focus is on dogs that have eaten bandaids or plasters as we called them in the UK.
What is the danger of a dog eating a bandaid or something similar?
It is more likely that the band-aid will get stuck somewhere in the dogs body or that sticking plasters may contain a toxic ingredient that would make the dog sick.
What do you think? Lets find out.
Size matters
As band-aids come in a variety of sizes their size determines the level of danger that eating one presents.
The chances of your dog getting hurt from eating one of those bandaids that people tend to use on cut fingers or grazed knees are extremely low if for some strange reason your dog ate it.
A dog eating a whole box of band-aids is also a completely different issue than a dog eating just one.
Alternatively if your dog ate a larger and longer piece of vet wrap or adhesive bandage they had applied to their own body thats something else entirely!
Getting straight to the point let me address your main concern.
My dog ate a band-aid- what should I do?
There is very little chance that your dog will be harmed if it eats just one band-aid.
Since a small strip of sticking plaster is soft it would not harm the dogs digestive system as it moves along and it is unlikely to get stuck in the throat or intestine.
Due to its plastic composition it would not be digested by the dog and it will pass through their system to their stool.
The only exception would be if the adhesive on the underside of the plaster would get stuck in your dogs throat.
However if it gets stuck in your dogs throat then your dog will be coughing and retching to try and vomit in order to remove it.
The band-aid will hopefully be visible within the pile of vomit and your dog will vomit quickly afterward.
Your only option is to provide your dog with some water which might help the process along.
Do not attempt to pull the band-aid out of your dogs throat by sticking anything down his throat.
You could worsen the situation.
After a few minutes if your dog is still gagging or coughing you should contact your vet.
The risk to your dogs health increases if your dog eats more than one band-aid or a long length of adhesive bandage.
If your dog eats or vomits up the bandage this is the best outcome. Otherwise the bandage will not be digested.
Then it comes out in their stool a couple of days later.
However if you have a dog that eats a long length of bandage that makes its way all the way out in the stool you might have to help.
Putting on a pair of latex gloves and gently pulling on the bandage might help your dog pass the bandage.
Immediately stop pulling the bandage if it gets stuck and call your veterinarian.
It is not uncommon for dogs to eat bandages and vet wrap for a long period of time without getting sick.
Here and here are some stories you can read.
And dogs that eat vet wrap or much longer pieces of the bandage are in many ways similar to those that eat socks.
There is however a real danger that the bandage will get stuck in your dogs intestine if he does not vomit it up or if the bandage can not pass through his system.
You can expect some significant changes in your dogs temperament if this happens.
There will be no activity from him and he will go quiet.
As a result of his blocked intestine he will throw up partially digested food and have a hard time pooping.
It is no surprise but if you notice any of these symptoms you need to see your veterinarian as soon as possible!
I now want to discuss what sticking plasters are made of and whether they contain anything that might be toxic to dogs if your dog has eaten any size or type of band-aid or adhesive bandage.
What are most band-aids made of?
Four parts are included in a bandaid.
Contains a top layer a wound pad an adhesive and a protective film on top of the adhesive.
The only part that has changed significantly over time is the material used for the top layer.
The top layer was traditionally made from cotton or rayon fabric (which is derived from wood) with an adhesive applied to the underside.
In recent years band-aids have become waterproof if not moisture resistant and so are made from plastic.
Additionally they are breathable which speeds up the healing process.
Is there anything toxic to dogs in band-aids?
It is most often a substance in the adhesive that causes allergies to band-aids.
The substance is called colophony or rosin and it can be obtained from pine trees.
This sample thought that there might be as many as 4.5 percent of people with this allergy.
The condition is almost unheard of in dogs- although I did read about a dog who seemed allergic to Elastoplast (a brand of band-aids.)
Therefore we can not completely dismiss it.
As for the signs of an allergic reaction they are pretty common.
These symptoms include a rash hives or a burning or itching sensation.
The best thing you can do for your dog is to give him an antihistamine tablet but you should first consult your vet.
Amanda (Author)
With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.
Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)
Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.
