My Canine Swallowed a Bully Stick: Our Vet Explains What to Do

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In case your canine has swallowed a bully stick, it’s best to contact your veterinarian instantly. They can provide you suggestions on what to do subsequent, relying on the state of affairs and the scale of your pet.

Despite the fact that these sticks are specifically designed for canine and are digestible, they need to be consumed in small bites and never complete. Essentially the most extreme issues that may happen in case your canine swallows a complete bully stick are choking, gastro-intestinal blockage or injury, which might put your pet’s life in peril.

We cowl what could occur in case your canine swallows a bully stick and what to do subsequent.
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Is It Dangerous for Canine to Swallow Bully Sticks?

Bully sticks are particular merchandise for canine that assist hold their tooth clear. They’re a single supply of beef protein (being made completely from the pizzle-penis, of a bull) and are appropriate for canine of most ages, sizes, and breeds. These merchandise are digestible as they’re product of beef protein, so it isn’t dangerous for canine to swallow small items of them. For many canine swallowing a small to average dimension of a bully stick, there will probably be no extreme penalties. The bully stick will probably be digested together with any meals and move out within the feces.

Nevertheless, issues can happen when massive items or the entire stick are swallowed in a single go. Bully sticks are dried protein and as such more durable than recent meat, this makes them a satisfying chew for canine however can result in issues. Ingesting massive items of a bully stick could be harmful, it could actually result in choking or gastro-intestinal blockage in the event that they get lodged within the throat, esophagus, or elsewhere within the gastrointestinal tract. It’s endorsed to maintain these treats out of attain of your canine, and at all times supervise them when they’re chewing on one.

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Credit score: Iryna Imago, Shutterstock

What Can Occur If Your Canine Swallows a Bully Stick?

On the whole, in case your canine swallows a big piece of bully stick, they’ll in all probability be nice. The bully stick will probably be digested and your canine none the more severe for it. Once in a while, maybe some gentle gastrointestinal upset in case your canine has a extra delicate digestion.

However there are instances the place it could actually have extreme penalties.

Choking

Choking represents an emergency, and it’s important to behave instantly earlier than your canine loses consciousness. The merchandise caught within the throat or esophagus can block the windpipe (trachea), depriving your pet of oxygen.

In case your canine is choking, you’ll discover the next indicators:

  • Gagging/retching
  • Coughing
  • Drooling
  • Pawing on the mouth
  • Problem respiration
  • Pale or blue-tinged gums (cyanosis)
  • Panicking

What to Do If Your Canine Is Choking


  • Attempt to keep calm. Give your canine a brief second to see in the event that they cough up the bully stick on their very own.

  • If they’ll’t cough it out, gently open their mouth (watch out to not get bitten), and look into their mouth to see in case you can attain and retrieve the bully stick. Don’t blindly insert your hand in your canine’s mouth since you threat pushing the item deeper into their throat and inflicting different accidents. For those who can not safely test of their mouth transfer to the subsequent technique.

Here is what else you may attempt:


  • Once they’re standing on all fours, raise their again legs like a wheelbarrow in order that their head is decrease than their again finish. This might help use gravity to dislodge the merchandise.

For those who nonetheless can’t get it out of your canine’s throat and you’re certain they’re choking, you may attempt the Heimlich maneuver however this does carry dangers and may solely be utilized in a real emergency. The Heimlich maneuver is just not regarded as as efficient in canine as in people so heading straight to your emergency vet clinic is really useful.

Heimlich Maneuver for Canine:


  • Kneel subsequent to your canine and place your self behind them.

  • Put your arms round their waist as in a hug.

  • Make a fist together with your dominant hand below the final ribs, the place the delicate stomach begins.

  • Together with your different hand, grab your fist, and utilizing each collectively press firmly upwards and forwards 5 occasions in a thrusting movement.

  • In case your canine could be very small chances are you’ll want to make use of one hand on their again to assist brace them and the opposite as a fist to carry out the thrusts.

  • Test your canine’s mouth, and take away any objects which have been dislodged utilizing this maneuver.

If this has not dislodged the blockage then you’ll want to head rapidly and safely to your veterinarian. If this distance is just too nice and your canine has collapsed you may do that subsequent technique if they’re mendacity on their sides.


  • Together with your canine on their facet, kneel beside them and notice the place the chest is widest. Interlink your arms and make one agency thrust downwards on the ribcage on the widest level. Test the mouth to see if the bully stick has been dislodged. You possibly can repeat this as much as 5 occasions.

All the time take your canine to the veterinarian for an examination if they’ve had a choking episode.

vet checking a dog's stomach at his clinic
Picture Credit score: Dragon Photos, Shutterstock

Intestinal Blockage

Though an intestinal obstruction doesn’t normally instantly put your pet’s life in peril, as occurs within the case of choking, it could actually result in the dying of your canine from issues. It’s best to at all times get recommendation out of your veterinarian about what to do in case your canine swallows a bully stick.

A gastrointestinal blockage can lead to the next indicators:

  • Vomiting
  • Not eager to eat
  • Diarrhea/constipation
  • Pale or dry gums
  • Weight reduction
  • Bloating
  • Stomach pains (hunched stomach or groaning)
  • Lethargy

If in case you have any issues about your canine’s well being or that they’ve swallowed a big portion of the bully stick, cellphone your veterinary clinic for recommendation and to schedule an examination.

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Conclusion

Typically, in case your canine swallows a bully stick, nothing untoward will occur, particularly if they’re a big canine. Bully sticks are edible merchandise for canines, produced from beef pizzle and given as a deal with to assist clear their tooth. They’re digestible however as they’re a dehydrated beef product they’ll trigger difficulties if swallowed in massive parts.

In some instances, your canine could choke or develop a gastrointestinal blockage. Because of this it’s endorsed that your canine be supervised when chewing on a bully stick and that they don’t seem to be left alone with them. In case your canine doesn’t end the bully stick in a single sitting then clear it away reasonably than leaving it out for them to return again to later.


Featured Picture Credit score: Dmitriev Mikhail, Shutterstock

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