Critters
by Debra Bell
Special to The Weekly
Did you hear about the Great Dane in Oregon that swallowed 43 socks in September? It’s a
true story.
We thought it was not only astonishing, but quite funny. But we’re not laughing now.
Let’s begin by saying we’re not new to our pets eating things they shouldn’t. Laura once
downed a couple cups of birdseed, a pan of brownies and three loaves of rising bread dough
(although not in one sitting). We smartened up by not leaving things out where she could get them and thought we had nipped that behavior in the bud.
But Buddy threw us for a loop with his penchant for carrying around and mouthing on soft things such as underwear, washcloths and socks. We thought we’d smartened up when he ate an
unmatched pair of socks which we had no idea had become a snack. One came up and the
other made it all the way through his gastrointestinal tract. He was ill for a while, but nothing too serious. To curb this behavior we invested in laundry baskets with lids and gated off the basement.
We should have been smarter. Who needs to eat dirty socks if clean ones are available, fresh
from the dryer?
On Oct. 29, after a week of unexplained housebreaking issues, Buddy threw up an athletic
sock. He spent that night moaning and groaning and then turned down food and water the next
morning. We hoped that if there was another sock in him that it would come out like the time
before.
No such luck.
By mid-morning on the 30th, as I was dealing with a migraine headache, he started moaning,
refusing food and water, and became sluggish and nauseated. I took him to Veazie Veterinary
Clinic after consulting with the facility over the phone. One x-ray and an ultrasound later it was
determined that he had a foreign object (most likely a sock) obstructing the bowel and that it would not pass.
Our options were limited: take him home and watch him or do surgery. We opted to send
Buddy into surgery.
And we’re sure glad we did. The athletic sock was lodged in his intestine and resulted in the surgeons removing the sock and a foot of Buddy’s intestine. The surgery was done by Dr. Laura Tardiff and Dr. David Cloutier. Dr. Michael McCaw did the ultrasound that found the blockage in the dog’s belly. And special thanks to the clinic staff.
Buddy has recovered now and we’ve completely changed how we handle soft items in our home. Nothing is left to chance.
Socks, scarves, underwear and anything swallowable has been moved out of reach.
Pets explore the world very similarly to toddlers and little children. They put things in their
mouths and sometimes swallow them.
So here’s what you should look for if you think your pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have:
• Vomiting (vomit will start solid and proceed to liquid) or gagging.
• Painful abdomen.
• Lack of appetite.
• Lethargy.
• Discomfort.
• Changes in typical behavior.
• Changes in bathroom habits.
• Cord, string or other evidence that something has been swallowed.
It’s possible, too, that you may not see them do the deed (we didn’t) so changes in your pet’s
behavior or missing items are another indicator to look for.
If you think, or know, your pet has consumed something potentially dangerous call the vet
right away to discuss the situation and determine what the next step should be. If it’s after
hours, call the Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic at 989-6267. Another great resource
is the Pet Poison Hotline at petpoisonhelpline.com. There is a fee for the call, but its website contains lots of great information to help you get on your way to caring for Fido.
Emergencies happen and we’re sure glad this one had a happy ending. What we do know
is we have a team of amazing vets and vet techs who were able to take great care of Buddy and
us, too.
Debra Bell is a pet photographer and the owner of Bangor’s Best Pet Photography business,
Bell’s Furry Friends Photography (a division of Bell Imaging & Design LLC) and is a freelance
writer. For information, go to bffpetphotos.com.