We all know that dogs love toilet paper.
It’s not just the cleanliness of it, but the dogs also like to chew on it and play with it.
But what happens when a dog eats toilet paper? What should you do if your dog ate a bunch of rolls of toilet paper?
Read this blog post to find out how you can help your pup!
Why Do Dogs Eat Toilet Paper?
Dogs eat toilet paper for a variety of reasons, including curiosity, boredom, or an upset stomach caused by eating something with no nutritional value.
Dogs are also attracted by the scent like we are with perfume even if the taste isn’t very good.
The paper could be labeled as the refined version of pet food, and the outside might even smell like their favorite meal.
For some dogs, eating toilet paper might also be an issue with self-soothing behavior due to past trauma or stress.
Dogs will also often eat things that are inedible such as grass or leaves because they think those items are edible (and they’re not wrong).
A dog’s sense of taste may judge anything made out of finely processed plant matter to be food, which includes cardboard.
Fortunately, most dogs will grow out of this behavior naturally as they get older (especially between 18 months and 2 years).
In cases where they do not stop on their own, however, there is typically a medical condition in which case counsel should be sought from your veterinarian.
How Does Eating Toilet Paper Harm A Dog?
Eating too much toilet paper can result in stomach ulcers and diarrhea which both take a toll on the dog’s health.
Upsetting digestive balance can lead to other symptoms such as excessive gas, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
If left untreated these symptoms may worsen into more serious problems such as bleeding in the gut walls.
In severe cases, a veterinarian might have to remove some damaged portions of the intestine and clean out debris that has accumulated within them.
What Happens When Dog Eats Toilet Paper?
One possibility is a blockage.
When there is a blockage, any type of foreign object can cause irritation of the intestinal lining and lead to symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain or discomfort, loss of appetite, weight loss, and sometimes dehydration.
If your dog ate toilet paper that easily broke down in its stomach – for example, because it was moist with saliva – there is almost nothing that they can do but wait out the process (which could take anything from 12 hours to two days).
If your dog consumed dry toilet paper that just passed through their system unchanged without causing any swelling or other issues on route then you don’t need to be worried.
Just keep an eye on them in case they develop diarrhea or other gastrointestinal signs but otherwise, it’s just the dog being a dog!
If your dog ate toilet paper and you are worried about their health, please talk to your veterinarian ASAP.
What To Do If Your Dog Ate Toilet Paper?
To get the paper out, the person should administer copious amounts of water or a high-calorie diet.
Some people may push on the pet’s kibble to help push up the bowel and you can also try gentle probing.
To remove any strangled bits, consult an emergency vet because a trip to urgent care may be needed.
A veterinarian will examine your pet before administering any treatment plan so that they know whether there is bleeding from either end (from vomiting blood with toilet paper in its system or from weakness due to dehydration), determine what operation needs to happen next, and then guide you through it all until your dog’s well again!
How To Prevent A Dog From Eating Toilet Paper?
1. Make sure your dog has plenty of toys to chew on.
2. Put a toilet paper roll inside a container with holes in it so that they can’t get their head through and eat it.
3. Place the toilet paper either high enough that they can’t reach or out of sight completely.
4. Leave some treats near where you keep your toilet paper so that when he’s chewing on things other than toilet paper, reward him by giving him these treats!
Can Dogs Easily Pass Tissues Or Paper Towels?
It’s very dependent on the thickness of the tissues or paper towels (among other things!).
The number one factor is the tissue or paper towel for any dog will be easy to pass if it is 1 ply and there are no stray fibers.
It may not sound like a big deal to a person, but these stray fibers can make their way into otherwise healthy dogs’ digestive tract and cause major gastrointestinal distress.
For example, when ingestion occurs, some of these fur-like materials can stick to the intestinal lining where they adhere and result in bowel obstruction.
As the material expands as it moves lodged in the intestine, pressure builds up that results in emergency surgery.
And surgery does happen more frequently than you think!
Keep an eye on your dog and if he’s eating anything else besides toilet paper, then give him some treats instead of these harmful tissues or paper towels.
How Long Does It Take For Dogs To Pass Paper?
It depends on the size of the dog, but it can take anywhere between 1-3 hours.
Different dogs have different sized intestines and different intestinal transit times, so this too will vary depending on who you ask.
However, some general guidelines for finding out how long it takes a dog to defecate are as follows:
For very small dogs (less than four pounds) – 3 to 4 days may need to pass before they eliminate stool; for medium-sized dogs (between 5 and 10 pounds) – 2 to 3 days; for large dogs about 15 pounds or more – 1 to 2 days. And lastly, larger breeds may defecate within 24 hours.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering what to do when your dog eats toilet paper, then we have the answers for you.
First, make sure they don’t consume any more of it and that there’s no blockage in their stomach or intestines.
Next, bring them to a vet if necessary.
And last but not least, remember that this is an emergency situation so time really does matter!
Take care of your pup before anything else; they’ll thank you for it later on 😉
