Whether your dog just has a battery in his mouth or has ingested it entirely, Dr Anna Robinson, a small animal veterinarian in Texas, recommends acting quickly. The first thing to do is to rinse the dog’s mouth with warm water, then call your veterinarian.
“Depending on the age and type of battery ingested, you can’t really provide first aid unless your dog immediately vomits up the whole, unchewed battery,” says Dr. Robinson.
Symptoms after dog eats battery
“Batteries contain a variety of toxic metals that can generate local electrical currents causing damage to cells in the body,” says Dr. Robinson. “They contain a caustic ‘acid’ that burns cells it encounters.”
If your dog has eaten a battery, it’s an emergency. Do not try to induce vomiting. Instead, contact your veterinarian immediately. Here are some other common symptoms:
“It is important to note that Unlike other poisonings, inducing vomiting in an attempt to remove batteries can make these effects worse.“, she warns. “Veterinarians have also found that activated charcoal is not sufficient to remove toxins, which would otherwise be the preferred option.”
What to expect at the vet
Your veterinarian will ask you to call a poison control linewho will assign you a case number and assist the veterinarian (either your regular veterinarian or your emergency veterinarian).
The poison line will ask:
- For a credit or debit card number in advance.
- Who you are and whether you are the legal owner of the animal you are calling about.
- For signaling your animal (breedage, sex and neutered or not).
- If you are on your way to an establishment.
- What are the animal’s current symptoms. They may direct you to first aid specific to your symptoms based on your response.
- The number, brand and age of batteries ingested.
Finally, the representative will give you a case number and contact information that your veterinarian can use.
Treatment plan
Expect your pet to stay with the veterinarian during the healing process, especially if the battery is lodged in the esophagus, either at the throat, around the heart or diaphragm.
“This case will warrant endoscopic removal requiring a small camera to pass through your pet so that the battery can be removed cleanly and efficiently,” says Dr. Robinson. “Regardless of the veterinarian’s skill and equipment, if the battery is deep enough, surgical removal can be attempted, but this is very rare for esophageal foreign bodies.”
Because piles can leak chemicals if they reach the lower gastrointestinal tract, surgical removal is usually recommended if part of a pile is visible on an x-ray.
Your dog may need chelation therapy in the hospital for heavy metal exposure, regardless of battery location and symptoms. Other services include pain managementgastrointestinal protectants and digital imaging monitoring for symptomatic patients or for dogs that chew batteries, as symptoms may worsen before they improve.