Occasionally dogs and even cats will inadvertently or intentionally swallow something they shouldn’t. It might be part of a toy or wrapping associated with food or it could be something more obscure such as a rock or hair elastic. Whatever the object is, it is unlikely to be digestible and can get stuck in the gastrointestinal tract causing significant damage to the lining of the tract and even leading to rupture of the tract which is rapidly life threatening. If we are suspicious of a foreign object being ingested, we will very likely recommend x-rays. These may be repeated over a couple of hours or even days if we are unsure whether the object is causing an obstruction or moving through the intestinal tract. If we need more information, we may also recommend an ultrasound. If we are concerned the object is causing an obstruction, we will recommend removal of the foreign object via the methods listed below. Oesophageal foreign bodies Occasionally large objects will get stuck in the oesophagus (the foodpipe that runs through the chest). The most common object to get stuck here is a bone that has been swallowed whole. As you can imagine this is very uncomfortable for the animal and can lead to choking behavior, constant coughing, gagging or vomiting. These objects must be removed urgently, and this is usually performed via endoscopy which is when the animal is put under general aneasthetic and a camera is passed down the oesophagus to visualize the object. A small “grabber” is then inserted, using the camera to guide it, and the object is grasped and pulled up out of the animal’s mouth. If this is not possible sometimes the object is pushed down into the stomach for retrieval via surgery. Damage to the oesophagus may occur but it is relatively thick and usually heals without issue. Occasionally neither option is successful and chest surgery is required to remove the object. This is a major surgery with considerable risks that your vet will discuss with you. Stomach f