When you are a dog owner, you may be surprised at some of the scenarios you find yourself dealing with. For example, while you might not expect it, dogs can and sometimes do get into your dirty laundry and start chowing down on it. They most often will eat socks or underwear but may go after any article of clothing, particularly ones that smell strongly of you. The question then becomes, what do you do if your dog did, in fact, eat some of your laundry? Get to know the steps to take when your dog is a laundry-eater. Then, you can be sure you are doing what is in the best interest of your dog and their health going forward. 

Remove the Temptation

One of the steps you should take when your dog has decided to eat your laundry is to remove the temptation from them. Get your laundry in a hamper (if you haven't already) and keep the hamper where your dog cannot get to it (a closed closet is a great option). This will prevent them from future laundry eating and will help to prevent you from having any anxiety or issues leaving them in the house when you are gone. 

Keep a Close Eye on Bowel Movements

A lot of what you can do after your dog has eaten laundry is to wait and see how they do. Watch their bowel movements closely in the hours and days following the laundry eating incident. If you see that they have expelled fabric in their stool, this is good news. It means that they likely do not have any type of intestinal blockage. 

Make sure they are having regular bowel movements and watch for signs of them passing the clothing. If they stop having bowel movements or develop diarrhea, you will want to head to the vet to have x-rays done as these are signs of a blockage. 

Watch Their Eating and Drinking Habits

Another factor you will want to keep in mind is how your dog is eating and drinking. If they suddenly lose interest in food or stop drinking water as they should, they likely have an intestinal issue that needs to be resolved. This may require interventions from the veterinarian up to and including surgery. 

Look Out for Vomiting

If your dog eats and drinks normally but begins to have issues with vomiting, you likely have a problem that requires veterinary care. Once again, vomiting after ingesting non-food items like laundry is a sign of digestive distress and/or blockage. 

Now that you know some of the steps to take when your dog has eaten laundry you can be sure to keep a close eye on your dog and call the vet (one like Clovis Veterinary Hospital P A) at the first sign of trouble.