We sure do love our dogs, don’t we? But let’s face it… Sometimes they eat just about anything they can find, even things they shouldn’t be eating…
Obviously, dogs are curious animals and that makes them want to taste almost everything in sight…
So if your dog ate a sock but is acting normal, first of all, don’t panic because it’s actually a fairly common thing that happens…
That being said, there are some things you’re going to want to look out for to make sure that your pup stays happy and healthy…
On top of that, it’s also not the type of behavior that you want to encourage or even be allowing in the future…
So in this article, we’re going to cover the following information to help you out…
- Why Do Dogs Eat Socks?
- What Happens To Your Dog After Eating A Sock?
- Steps You Should Take After Your Dog Eats A Sock
- Ways You Can Prevent This Behavior In The Future
In the end, you should know what to look out for if your dog has eaten a sock, and you should be able to take the necessary steps to make sure he or she remains healthy…
Let’s start by discussing why dogs eat socks…
Why Do Dogs Eat Socks?
Most of the time, if your dog eats a sock it was done accidentally…
It’s possible that your dog might have mistaken the sock for food and just scarfed it down…
But that being said, there are other reasons why dogs eat socks (and other objects too), and for the wellbeing of your pup…
You’re going to want to nail down exactly why he decided to eat it so that you can prevent it from happening again in the future…
So aside from just mistaking it for food, here are a few other common reasons why your dog might eat a sock or another object…
For Attention…
It is possible that your dog ate your sock as a way of trying to get your attention…
Our dogs are always seeking our attention, and they take notice of common, everyday things that we do without even thinking about it…
Some dogs will actually notice how frequently we spend time putting on and taking off our socks…
And in an attempt to get our attention, they may snatch as sock and start playing with it to try and draw us into a game…
Sometimes, they can get overexcited and actually start attempting to eat the sock as a way of playing.
Hiding Socks Because They’re Valuable…
It’s very natural for dogs to try to horde or hide things that they see as valuable…
And here’s the thing, your sock carries your scent (along with other interesting odors), and in your dog’s eyes that makes it very valuable…
Also, because of their size, dogs tend to spend a lot of time near our feet and socks as well, and that naturally draws them to shoes and socks too…
So it’s no surprise that dogs run off with our socks and try to bury them or hide them in secret places…
Sometimes, they’ll actually swallow your sock as a way of hiding it and trying to keep it safe…
If this is the case, you may notice your dog getting more aggressive with behaviors such as growling and even snapping…
This is obviously not a good situation, so if your dog does start to exhibit behaviors like this be sure to have a chat with your veterinarian about it.
Medical Disorder…
If your dog is devouring socks and other objects, it’s possible that he or she has a disorder called “pica“…
This condition makes your dog have the desire to eat non-edible things. So aside from socks, your dog might be trying to eat things like small pieces of fabric, rocks, paper, and even dirt…
If you suspect that your dog may have pica, it’s a good idea to book an appointment with your vet where he or she can discuss the situation further with you.
What Happens To Your Dog After Eating A Sock?
There are several things that can happen to your dog after eating a sock, and in this section, we’ll be covering some of the most common scenarios…
Your Dog Vomits The Sock Up…
Sometimes dogs who have eaten socks will simply vomit them back up. This can happen immediately or possibly a couple of days later…
Your Dog Poops The Sock Out…
Other times dogs will simply pass the sock when they poop…
This can happen many days later, and you’ll want to keep an eye on your dog’s poop to be sure that the sock came out…
The Sock Gets Stuck In Your Dog’s Stomach…
Now with some dogs, it’s possible for the sock to get stuck in their stomach…
You see, when your dog’s stomach empties, food is the first thing to go and things that are indigestible will go last…
But sometimes, indigestible items can stay stuck in your dog’s stomach because they can’t vomit them back up and they’re too big to go into the intestine…
This can lead to things like chronic vomiting and discomfort for your dog. So if you suspect that the sock is stuck in your dog’s stomach, you’ll want to take him to the vet for further examination.
The Sock Creates An Intestinal Obstruction…
Sometimes a sock can become lodged somewhere in your dog’s intestine and create a blockage…
An obstruction like this is very serious and requires surgery to remove the object causing the problem…
In addition to that, it can be difficult to notice if your dog has an intestinal blockage. So here are some behaviors that might indicate something is wrong…
- Your dog becomes inactive
- Your dog has difficulty in defecating
- Your dog is vomiting
- Your dog has a loss of appetite
- Your dog appears to be in pain
- Your dog is dehydrated
- Your dog seems bloated
If you notice any of these behaviors you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
Steps You Should Take After Your Dog Eats A Sock…
When you’re concerned about the health of your pup, it’s natural to feel worried…
So to help get you through the situation as easily as possible, here’s a step-by-step guide of what to do if your dog swallows a sock…
Step 1: Don’t Panic…
The first thing to do is not to panic. If your dog notices that you are panicked, he will also start to feel stressed and worried…
In addition to that, he’s not the first dog to ever eat a sock. So you can rest assured that this is something your veterinarian has seen before.
Step 2: Contact Your Veterinarian…
The moment you realize that your dog swallowed a sock (and even if you just suspect it), your should contact your veterinarian…
Your dog probably won’t need an immediate appointment, but your veterinarian will be able to suggest what to look out for, home remedies, etc…
They’ll also be able to explain what to do if things aren’t getting better and if your pup will eventually need to come in for an appointment.
What Can You Expect From Your Vet…
If you have a large dog, your vet may suggest that you wait to see if your dog is able to vomit up the sock or to pass it when he poops before coming in…
If you have a small dog, it’s possible that he could have more difficulty vomiting it up or pooping it out…
And your vet may want to try removing the sock from his stomach with an endoscope…
The endoscopy process is not painful, although your dog will probably feel some discomfort…
And what happens is the veterinarian puts a scope down your dog’s throat to get to his stomach and pulls the sock out…
Keep in mind that the endoscopy will only work if the sock is still inside your dog’s stomach…
If it has moved into his intestine and becomes lodged there, your pup will have to go through surgery to have it removed…
In the end, the endoscopy will come with a cost to it, but it will be much less expensive than the cost of surgery for your pup if the sock ends up getting lodged in his intestine…
In addition to that, your regular veterinarian might be able to remove the sock with an endoscope themselves, or they may suggest that you go to an endoscopy specialist.
A Common Home Remedy…
Before trying any home remedies it’s important that you discuss them with your veterinarian…
Your vet knows your dog, and he or she is the best person to determine what course of action should be taken if your dog has eaten a sock…
With that in mind, trying to induce vomiting is one course of action that can be taken at home…
Before going any further, please be aware that there are risks associated with trying to get your dog to vomit, so it should only be done after getting instruction from your veterinarian…
Hydrogen peroxide is sometimes used to get dogs to vomit in the hopes that the sock or other object that they ate will come up…
The hydrogen peroxide works by fizzing in the dog’s stomach which causes them to throw up…
Different sized dogs will require different doses for this method. So again, consult with your vet before attempting this form of treatment.
Ways You Can Prevent This Behavior In The Future…
Even though it’s a fairly common thing for dogs to eat socks, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be prevented…
And because of the medical risks to your dog, you should take steps to ensure he doesn’t end up swallowing a sock in the future…
Here are some of the ways you can help prevent this behavior from happening again…
Don’t Leave Socks On The Floor…
This is an obvious one, but sometimes after a long day, we can find ourselves pulling off our socks without even thinking about it and they end up on the floor…
Try to take the time to always put your socks and other small pieces of fabric or clothes in the laundry basket…
This minimizes the chance of your dog eating a sock again because it makes it harder for him to get to them in the first place.
Don’t Use Socks For Games…
Sometimes it’s tempting to use things like socks to play games with our pups…
Again, dogs already love the smell of socks so they’re naturally attracted to them, and playing games like tug-of-war or using them as hand puppets can seem kind of natural…
Despite that, you should avoid using socks as toys because it makes the socks more valuable to your dog…
And that will make him more likely to want to hide or even swallow them.
Train Your Dog To Be More Obedient…
Training your dog to be more obedient is a great way to get him to stop eating socks and doing many other unwanted behaviors…
Imagine the feeling of just being able to say “leave it!” to your dog and he actually listens to you…
There are a lot of great training programs out there, but the one I recommend is Brain Training For Dogs…
I like Brain Training For Dogs because its highly effective, simple, and you can access the whole program from the comfort of your home…
You can learn more about Brain Training For Dog by clicking this link:
>> Click Here To Learn More About Brain Training For Dogs!
Final Thoughts If Your Dog Ate A Sock…
Whenever the health of our dogs is in danger, its natural to be a little worried…
But you can take a deep breath because dogs eating socks is a pretty common occurrence, and there are several effective ways of getting them the help they need…
Just remember to remain calm about the situation as best as you can, and be sure to contact your veterinarian to see what they recommend for your particular pup.