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Dog ate a needle.

Species: Dog
Breed: Bijon/Toy Poodle Mix
Age: 1-2 years
My dog had not been eating his usual amount and I was watching him, he then began to kinda vomit and today he would not eat at all. I took him to the emergency vet and they wanted to do emergency surgery due to the fact that the x-rays showed a needle in his stomach. Last time I used a needle was Wedesday, so it had been more than a few days. They said he needed emergency surgery this minute. I wanted to wait until the morning when my vet is open and have my vet perform the surgery. At present he will be open in about 16 hours. Emergency vet gave him fluids, pain pill, antibiotics for now when I told them I wanted to wait. of course I'm second guessing myself, the question, would it be OK to wait until the morning and have my vet perform the surgery? I know I should not wait more than that, but is the morning OK?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that you are in this predicament.

Whenever I see a needle in a dog I always want to get it out right away. If the needle penetrates through the intestines then this can be life threatening.

I understand what you are saying here...it's been in there for 4 days so far, so why not wait another 16 hours. If JC had no symptoms of illness at all I would probably agree that waiting is a good idea. However, JC does have symptoms of illness - reduced appetite and vomiting. It's possible that the needle is already perforating through the intestines or stomach. Really, if there was no perforation then the needle shouldn't be causing any lack of appetite or vomiting at all.

Unfortunately the xrays won't tell us if the needle is perforating at all.

I would highly advise that you have surgery done tonight. I know it will cost more, but in the long run it could be the difference between life and death. Also, if the needle is perforating, a surgery now will actually be less expensive than later if more damage is done over the next 16 hours.

Feel free to keep me updated. I will be online till about 10PM Eastern time tonight if you have more questions.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.