What Damage Can Rocks Do in a Dog's Stomach?

You may wonder what possesses your dog to consume some of the objects he does. Although completely unappetizing to humans, rocks and other inedible objects are often swallowed by many dogs. Most pass through your dog's digestive system safely, but rocks present a potentially fatal hazard. Always observe your dog around stones and rocks if you know it has a propensity for eating them. Knowing the symptoms of a lodged rock can save your dog's life.

  1. The Path

    • Everything your dog eats travels from its mouth, through the esophagus, into the stomach and through the small intestine before it is excreted as waste. Most items make the trip in 10 to 24 hours, but some may be too large to make it through the entire system. The damage this causes normally occurs at the exit of the stomach, or within the small intestine.

    Symptoms

    • When a rock gets stuck in the stomach or intestine, vomiting and abdominal issues occur. If your dog is throwing up, has diarrhea, and exhibits muscle cramps in its stomach area, the rock is probably blocking only part of the intestine. If intense vomiting and severe stomach pain and bloating occurs, the rock may be completely blocking your dog's stomach or intestine. Either situation requires immediate medical attention.

    Damage

    • The longer a rock is left stuck in your dog's body, the greater the chance of blood loss to the surrounding stomach and intestine. These organs begin to die off without a blood supply. With this comes the potential for a leak or hole to form, releasing toxic enzymes and intestinal fluids into your dog's body, resulting in shock or serious infections.

    Treatment

    • A veterinarian diagnoses the blockage with X-rays or an ultrasound. If neither method reveals the blockage, exploratory surgery may be the only way to locate it. Once found, the rock can be removed with a fiber optic tube if it's still inside the stomach, or through surgery if the rock is lodged in the intestine. If the bowel has been damaged, the vet will remove it and attach the remaining ends to repair the digestive tract. This surgery is less successful when the rock has been in the dog's system for several days or more.