You’re sitting on your couch, and you hear a clunk.
“What was that?” you ask yourself.
You look around, but everything seems normal.
Until… it dawns on you that your dog ate a lighter. He’s chewing on it like it’s a treat.
You’re horrified! What should you do?
This is a common problem for pet owners, and we have the answer right here.
Dog Ate A Lighter: What To Do?
Call your veterinarian or a local animal emergency hospital. Even if you were able to remove the lighter from your pet’s mouth, some lighter fluid may have been ingested. Your vet will advise you on what steps to take next.
Your vet will ask you questions about the incident and what type of lighter it was. The vet may decide to induce vomiting in your dog, depending on how long ago they ate the lighter and their overall condition. Your vet may also recommend x-rays or bloodwork to see if there are any signs of toxicity.
Symptoms That Will Show Your Dog Ate Lighter Fluid
If you think your dog ate lighter fluid, see if your dog shows the following symptoms:
- Locking jaws
- Dry and/or oily feces
- Hypersalivation
- Skin and oral irritation
- General weakness
- Vomiting (possibly with blood)
- Dehydration
- Coma (in severe cases)
- Respiratory failure (in severe cases)
- Head tremors (in severe cases)
How To Prevent Your Dog From Eating A Lighter
The next best course of action is to make sure that your dog doesn’t get into any more lighters. To do this, you’ll want to keep it in a safe and secure place away from your dog’s reach.
Also, don’t leave your furry friend unsupervised for extended periods of time. If he’s left alone with the ability to find a lighter, the results won’t be fun for either of you.
Finally, here’s a bit of advice for preventing future problems: if you train your dog to listen to commands, such as “leave it” or “drop it”, then he’ll be less likely to eat something inappropriate even when he has access to it.
Plus, these tricks can help keep him out of danger during times when there isn’t necessarily a lighter present but there might be something you don’t want him eating (e.g., a toothpick or glass). This is one thing that will benefit both of you!
Dog Ate Lighter: FAQ
Will lighter fluid hurt a dog?
The short answer is yes, lighter fluid will hurt your dog if they drink it or get it on their fur. If your dog has already ingested lighter fluid, call your vet right away or visit them in person if possible.
They’ll likely recommend giving your pet activated charcoal as soon as possible, which helps bind toxins in their system and prevent them from being absorbed into their body.
After treatment with charcoal, dogs are typically monitored for 24 hours for additional symptoms or signs of distress.
Conclusion
If you suspect that your dog may have ingested a lighter, it’s important to get him to the vet right away for treatment. As we mentioned above, ingestion of a lighter is a potentially harmful and dangerous situation for your pet.
The sooner you can get him to a vet, the sooner you can get him the treatment that he needs, and the safer he’ll be.