If a dog has eaten cement, or sniffed cement, this is a serious matter and a vet should be consulted immediately. Ingestion of cement can seriously damage the digestive system and lead to serious health problems or even death if not treated promptly.
Here are the steps to take if a dog has eaten cement:
- Remove the dog from the cement immediately so that it cannot ingest more.
- Call the vet and explain the situation. The vet can advise what to do next, including whether to take the dog for a check-up.
- Do not induce vomiting. Ingesting cement can cause physical damage to the oesophagus and digestive system, and inducing vomiting can aggravate these injuries.
- Keep the dog calm and still. Too much movement can cause the cement to shift and cause further damage.
- Give the dog water, but do not let it drink excessively as this could cause the cement to mix with the water and cause further damage.
- Take the dog to the vet as soon as possible if it does not seem well or appears apathetic. The vet will perform a physical examination and may recommend further diagnostic tests such as x-rays or an endoscopy to assess the extent of the damage.
If a dog has eaten cement, it is important to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible. With timely and proper care, the dog has a better chance of making a full recovery.
Why does a dog eat cement?
Dogs are omnivores and eat a variety of things. Unfortunately, they sometimes tend to swallow indigestible things as well. Small chunks of cement or concrete are often part of this, because they can be found everywhere and unfortunately cannot be avoided on roads and pavements.
Cement contains minerals such as calcium and iron. If these minerals are missing from the dog's diet, this explains why it tends to eat cement.
Other possibilities are thyroid disease, diabetes or anaemia.
Of course, you should try to train the dog not to swallow indigestible objects, but occasionally a stick does get into the stomach. What should be done if a dog has eaten cement?
Cement in the digestive system can cause various health problems for the dog. Hard cement can damage the teeth, cause internal injuries in the intestines or intestinal obstruction, which can be life-threatening. Also, the cement powder used to make concrete and cement is toxic. Smaller pieces are often excreted from the intestine undigested without causing harm, but often cement chunks need to be surgically removed by a vet. Eating indigestible objects is known as pica syndrome.
Even if the dog shows no signs of indigestion after eating concrete, it should be taken to the vet to prevent complications in time.
How do you prevent the dog from eating cement?
In the immediate vicinity, i.e. in your own house and garden, you should remove all loose pieces of concrete and cement and repair crumbled concrete so that the dog does not chew on it. To be on the safe side, you can spray dog spray on it. It is also a good idea not to leave the dog unattended.
If the dog tends to sniff up cement while walking, you can put a muzzle on it.
As soon as the dog has cement in its mouth, you must alert and admonish it by clapping your hands loudly and remove the piece from its mouth.
To ensure that there is no mineral deficiency, you can divide the dog's daily ration into smaller portions and give high-quality food.
