What You Should Know If Your Dog Ate a Battery
Dogs are notorious for chewing on things that they shouldn't. While the risk of swallowing foreign objects is dangerous on its own, some things found around the home can contain batteries, which come with their own set of risks.
Your dog can find these all around your house, in remotes, key fobs, wireless technology, and more. It is important to know the potential impact that batteries can have on your dog's health, the signs that they may display, and how different types of batteries can have different effects.
The Different Types of Batteries & Their Dangers
So what happens if your dog eats a battery? How dangerous is it, and how is the impact affected by the type of battery that was chewed or swallowed? Let's talk more about the different types of batteries that are found around the home and their dangers.
Acid & Alkaline Batteries
The types of batteries most commonly found in the home are acid and alkaline batteries. These include AA, AAA, 9-volt, C, and D batteries. Acid and alkaline batteries can be corrosive and will cause severe irritation in the mouth when punctured by your dog's teeth during chewing.
Most of these batteries contain potassium or sodium hydroxide, which can lead to tissue necrosis (tissue death) as well as deep ulceration of the areas they come into contact with. This typically occurs in the mouth, esophagus, and intestinal tract.
Button & Disc Batteries
Button and disc batteries are the smallest types that can be found in the home. They are used to power smaller devices like digital watches and hearing aids.
Because of their small size, these batteries can easily become lodged internally if your dog has chewed on or swallowed an object containing them. In some cases, this can cause an obstruction.
When these batteries come into contact with your dog's saliva, they can generate a current. This can create small amounts of lye, a corrosive chemical. Lye can burn through and cause damage to the lining of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine of your dog.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
The most dangerous type of battery that can be found in everyday items is the lithium-ion battery. This is because of how quickly they can be corrosive to the surrounding tissue. In some cases, it can take less than 30 minutes to cause internal damage.
Along with being corrosive, these batteries contain heavy metals like mercury, zinc, lead, or nickel. This can lead to heavy metal toxicity if your dog has chewed or swallowed this type of battery and is not treated promptly.
Is it dangerous if a dog has chewed a battery but didn't swallow it?
While you may be inclined to think that swallowing whole is more serious, this is not entirely true. There can be severe damage that occurs if your dog has chewed a battery. This can result in the dangerous chemicals leaking out, damaging any tissue it comes into contact with, as well as the danger of small pieces of battery being ingested, potentially causing perforations.
This is most common with cylindrical or rectangular batteries found in home devices. If this occurs, you should locate all pieces of the battery and gently wash your dog's mouth and skin with warm water.
Contact your primary vet or Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital right away, and do not induce vomiting.
Signs That Your Dog Has Chewed or Swallowed a Battery
Regardless of whether you witnessed your dog swallowing a battery, you should reach out to your veterinarian if they display any of the following signs:
- Drooling
- Refusal to eat
- Bad breath
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Grey or red area in the mouth (caused by corrosive burns)
- Abdominal pain (hunched back, refusing to lay down)
If your dog is experiencing abdominal pain, the battery may have caused a burn in the stomach or esophagus or an intestinal obstruction. If an obstruction occurs, surgery may be recommended for treatment.
What happens if a dog eats a battery?
If your dog chewed or swallowed a battery, rinse their mouth out with warm water and contact your primary veterinarian, or call Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital for immediate emergency veterinary care.
Once at the veterinary hospital, your dog will be thoroughly examined, focusing on the areas with obvious signs of irritation. The veterinarian will perform an X-ray if needed to locate the battery and gauge the size and number of pieces.
A treatment plan will then be developed, which may include surgical or endoscopic removal of the battery (either whole or in pieces if it was first chewed).
The veterinarian may also recommend supportive care such as clear liquids, a soft diet, antibiotics, stomach protectants, and pain medication.
Your dog ate a battery, what should you do?
Do not induce vomiting if you suspect your dog has eaten a battery. This can result in the corrosive contents of the battery causing further damage.
As stated above, if your dog has chewed on or eaten a battery, you should first remove any pieces and very gently flush their mouth out using warm water.
Once you've done so, contact your primary veterinarian or our team at Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital. We offer multimodal emergency care for pets from Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, and surrounding areas.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.