My Dog Ate a Crayon: Should I Be Worried? (Vet Answer)
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View 2 More +Dogs are known for putting anything in their mouths, including art supplies. This happens especially when they are puppies because they use their mouths to explore their environment. If your dog ate a crayon, there’s usually no need to worry, as crayons are not toxic to pets. That said, in some rare cases, swallowed crayons can lead to stomach upset, obstruction, or choking.
Should I Worry if My Dog Eats a Crayon?
Crayons are made of paraffin wax and pigment and are considered non-toxic. After all, the companies that make crayons make them for children, and just like dogs, kids like to put everything they touch in their mouths.
So, if your dog eats a crayon, it most often will come out the other side nearly unchanged. Sometimes, though, dogs can get an upset digestive system. Other problems that can occur rarely are choking/suffocation if the crayon gets stuck in your dog's throat or obstruction of the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, or intestine), especially if you have a small dog that eats a large piece of crayon or several crayons.
What to Watch for if Your Dog Eats a Crayon
Crayons are not toxic to dogs and can pass through their digestive system unchanged. Large dogs will usually have no problems if they eat a crayon. However, small and toy breeds may experience some digestive issues.
1. Clinical Signs of an Upset Stomach
Even if crayons are not considered toxic to dogs, they can still cause an upset stomach. Clinical signs may include:
If these clinical signs occur after your dog ate a crayon, a visit to the vet is essential.
2. Clinical Signs of an Obstruction
If your dog ingests multiple crayons, they can get stuck in the esophagus, stomach, or intestine, causing an obstruction. Unfortunately, obstruction of the digestive tract is a condition that can put your dog's life in danger, so you must act fast. In general, surgery is needed to remove the obstruction for your dog to be saved. The clinical signs may include:
If these clinical signs occur or they persist or worsen, contact the veterinarian immediately for an evaluation.
3. Clinical Signs of Choking
In other cases, the crayons don't even reach your dog's stomach because they get stuck in the throat, possibly causing suffocation. Clinical signs may include:
This is considered a medical emergency and you must act immediately.
Here is what you can do:
What You Should Do if Your Dog Ate a Crayon
If you see your dog with a crayon in their mouth, remove it as soon as possible and prevent them from consuming more. The more crayons they ingest, the more severe the effects will be on your pet. If you have seen or suspect that your dog has already eaten a crayon (or several), here is what you can do:
How to Prevent Your Dog From Eating Crayons
Even if the chances of your dog getting sick from eating crayons are small, you must take certain measures to prevent this behavior in the future. After all, even if crayons are not considered dangerous for dogs, there is a possibility that your dog may consume something else that could harm them next time.
Here's what you can do:
Conclusion
Swallowing a crayon should not cause concern because in most cases, nothing bad will happen, and there is no need for treatment or veterinary intervention. However, in rare cases, some dogs (especially small ones) can suffer from digestive problems (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain).
In severe cases, such as when your dog swallows several crayons, there may be a risk of esophageal, stomach, or intestinal blockage. Blockage of the digestive system is considered a medical emergency because it can put the pet's life in danger. Moreover, there are cases in which crayons do not reach the stomach because they get stuck in the throat, which can lead to suffocation. In this case, you must intervene immediately to remove the crayons from your dog's throat.
See also:
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Dr. Iulia Mihai, DVM MSc (Veterinarian)
Dr. Iulia Mihai is a veterinarian with more than 13 years of experience in laboratory, cancer and pet pathology. Dr. Mihai studied at the University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Romania. She has a master’s degree in equine and pet pathology and studied epithelial cancer for her Ph.D. Iulia has a passion for internal medicine and parasitology and started volunteering at the faculty’s clinic in her third year of college. She enjoys writing and educating people about disease prevention, nutrition, behavior, and treatment. She has worked in a couple of veterinary clinics over the years as an internal medicine specialist.
