What to do when my Frenchie swallows a sock or something like it? You may or may not be asking this but I can guarantee you will want to know this information just in case. I have found in my 20+ years experience with Frenchies that they are snackers. They love to put everything in their mouth like toddlers and some even like to swallow these items.
Last weekend I was watching a movie with the boys with the Frenchies all around us. My boys decided to take off their socks which the Frenchies love the smell of dirty feet so they were instantly drawn to these delicious “treats”. I am so used to the Frenchies chewing on the socks because in my household 5 & 6 year old boys are not concerned with placing them in the hamper after removal. Bubbles, a 6 month old, particularly loves her “toys” she finds. I thought it was just so cute how much she loved her treasure and I was willing to throw away the sock so she could enjoy her time chewing on it. She moved to the other end of the room near the doggie door and continued chewing away. I happened to look at her and see the yellow sock partially hanging out of her mouth. Then I saw her take a big gulp and the sock disappeared. I couldn’t believe it. She swallowed the whole sock.
Options of what to do when a Frenchie swallows a sock.
I placed her in her bedtime crate and picked up my trusty iPhone so I could consult with Dr. Google. I had two options. One let it pass through which could take 24-36 hours and the sock was huge. I didn’t think that was a good option as it would likely get stuck and need surgery. The second option was have her vomit it up. As it had only been a few minutes and likely still in her stomach, I chose this route. Back to Dr. Google and I found a great source for dosing hydrogen peroxide. They say to give them 0.5-1ml per pound of body weight and to start initially with 0.5ml/pound and see what happens. If you give too much then they may not be able to stop from vomitting. So be careful with dosing.
As she is a puppy and growing, I did not know her current weight. So I stepped on the scale, got my weight, stepped on the scaled with her, and then subtracted the difference. She was 17lbs. I chose to give 15mls (equivalent to about 1 tablespoon) and place her back in her crate. I then went back to Dr. Google and found it would take about 15 minutes or less if it worked. I watched her for a few minutes and noticed she was burping. I left her for a few minutes. Came back and there was the sock. Naughty Bubbles. The size of the sock in proportion to her blows my mind and she is now known as my little python. If I wouldn’t have seen her gulp it down, she would have been in trouble and could have died from it being wrapped up in her intestines.
What to do when my Frenchie swallows a sock or something like it?
- I have to give the disclaimer to always contact your vet. But guess what, they don’t always answer. If your Frenchies are anything like my Bubbles, they do these things on a Friday night. I do highly recommend joining pawp.com. You get 24 hour access to vets who will answer your questions in situations like this. The nice thing is you can have up to 6 pets on the account and $3000 for one emergency vet per year all for the price of $19/month. I love them and was waiting to have a vet join but I felt pretty confident in my plan of action. I’m a pharmacist but when my babies, two and four legged, have an issue I sometimes lose my brain and it’s nice to have another professional guide me on the best course of action. Check into it and be prepared for your next Frenchie emergency.
- If you catch it within a few hours of swallowing, give them hydrogen peroxide 0.5ml-1.0ml per pound of body weight. Remember 15ml is about 1 tablespoon. Don’t know your Frenchies weight? Step on a scale with and without him and then subtract the difference. Your Frenchie will usually vomit the item up within 15 minutes or less.
Once a sock swallower. Always a sock swallower. Make sure to communicate with each person in the household to keep objects like socks away from the Frenchies. I had to go out and scour the backyard looking for socks as my boys like to take them off before jumping on the trampoline. Always double check their toys and throw them out if they have fluffing coming out of them, rope toys coming untied, or just appear like they could be a potential hazard for swallowing. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Replace them with new toys. Here’s some our Frenchies love.
Yes, Frenchies can throw all kinds of obstacles at us that we must solve…like swallowing socks, but they are worth every moment as they bring so much joy to our lives. Just remember, it’s always better to be proactive than reactive. Keep things away from them that they can swallow, and have hydrogen peroxide on hand. You can order on Amazon if you don’t have any on hand.