My dog eats socks lol

Hi Melanie Beard,

So, I was talking to a couple that "heard" I was a vet. They have a new dog, Magic, that they just adore and they were telling me about how "funny" it is that she loves socks. So I asked, "What do you mean?" And boy was I surprised by their answer! It turns out their dog loves to EAT the socks.

There's NOTHING funny about that!

I thought to myself, "Oh boy, this can be a BIG problem. They better have pet insurance or a lot of money if they're going to afford to keep this dog."

Magic is about 45 pounds - a lab mix of some sort. And yes, she is LUCKY to be passing the socks.

My alarm to Magic eating socks showed. I said, "Wow - that can be really bad."

Many dogs that "eat" indigestible things have big problems. The items can get stuck in their digestive tract and cause a life-threatening problem that can only be treated with surgery. I have removed many socks from the stomachs and intestines of dogs over the years.

This surgery can be expensive. Depending on the size of the dog, how sick the dog is and how extensive the surgery is, it can run anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. That is a lot of money. Sort of makes you want to pick up the socks now, doesn't it?

They went on to tell me that Magic passed a dishcloth yesterday! Oh my goodness! Again they were laughing when they told me this, as if they thought it was kind of funny.

I became even more alarmed and this time I tried to let it show. I told them how eating indigestible items such as socks and dishcloths can cause BIG problems if the items get "stuck". They can require life-threatening surgery. Expensive surgery. I even told them how it can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 to remove the item - or the dog could die.

until next time
Dr John