Dogs seem to be renowned for chewing, eating, and swallowing things they shouldn’t, which can be made so much worse when the item they’ve managed to ingest is something slightly embarrassing. If your dog has eaten a condom, it’s understandable that you would prefer to do some online reconnaissance before calling your vet for advice, and this is where we can give you some good news.
If your dog has eaten a condom, they will probably be fine, but there are some exceptions and circumstances you need to be aware of before you can completely relax and get back to what you were doing.
The main factors we need to consider are the size of your dog, if they have any health conditions, allergies, or pertinent surgical history, and whether or not the item in question was still in the packet.
Let’s dive in.
Why Do Dogs Eat Condoms (and other things)?
Most of the time, our dogs will pick up, chew, or swallow non-food items out of curiosity, playfulness, and sometimes, hunger. This is particularly true if those items happened to be flavored.
There are nutrient deficiencies, behavioral issues, or compulsions that cause some dogs to habitually eat things that they shouldn’t, so if you often find yourself typing the words “My Dog Just Ate A…” into Google, it’s probably worth a conversation with a vet.
Someone once said that nothing moves faster than a dog that’s been asked “what is that in your mouth?”, and that sounds pretty accurate! In fact, some items are probably swallowed by dogs trying to avoid trouble or prevent having their new ‘toy’ taken away. The reasons why a dog might eat are condom are likely to be:
- the rubbery texture
- the flavor of the condom (if applicable)
- the scent/taste of a used condom
That last one might be a bit hard to swallow, but dogs don’t think of bodily fluids in the same way we do. Something that might seem cringeworthy, embarrassing, or disgusting to us, may purely be interesting and appealing to your dog. Although not exactly a nutritious snack, human ejaculate contains a reasonable amount of protein, vitamin C, zinc, B12, fat, and fructose, so your dog may simply view the contents of a discarded prophylactic as similar to a dollop of spilled egg white. It certainly doesn’t make them deviants!
My Dog Ate A Condom: What Can Happen Next?
In the majority of cases, your dog will be fine and no harm will be done. However, there are a few potential issues that could arise:
- Intestinal obstruction: any item that is not readily digested has the potential to cause a blockage. This can occur at different locations, but most commonly at the pyloric sphincter (where stomach contents enters the small intestine), along the small intestine, or the ileocecal junction (where the small intestine enters the large intestine).
- If your dog has previously had intestinal surgery (perhaps from eating something else that caused an obstruction) they may have adhesions or narrowed areas of the intestines, which can make them more likely to suffer from blockages in those areas.
- Although rare, your dog could be allergic to the materials in the condom, the lubricant, or (if applicable) the flavoring and dyes. They are unlikely to cause a full anaphylactic reaction, but they could result in reactions like hives and itchy skin, gastrointestinal inflammation, or irritation of the mouth and gums.
My Dog Ate A Condom: When Should I Be Worried?
This is where size, number, and packaging are important.
If your dog is of medium size or larger (ie. larger than around 25 lbs), the chances are high that a condom – even one still in the packet – will make it through the digestive tract without issue. However, there is a chance that the plastic wrapper may cause some irritation and inflammation to the intestinal walls as it passes through. The gut lining is actually pretty tough, so a condom wrapper is unlikely to cause any damage beyond that.
A condom in or outside the wrapper could potentially cause a blockage, and the risk of this is higher for smaller dogs, or if more than one condom has been eaten.
If Your Dog Seems Fine
If your dog seems comfortable and happy, you may wish to monitor them at home. Offer them small meals every 3-4 hours to ensure that they are eating and swallowing normally. This will also encourage the problematic prophylactic to move through the digestive tract. Make sure your dog is drinking plenty of water or eating moist food.
It may take at least 48 hours for the condom to pass, so continue to monitor your dog during this time.
When To Call The Vet
It is never too early to call your vet for advice or speak to a vet online. If you are worried about anything your dog has eaten, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
If you are monitoring your dog at home, here are some red flags that mean you need to overcome embarrassment and contact your vet immediately:
- if your dog has eaten multiple condoms
- if your dog appears to be uncomfortable, bloated, or in pain
- if your dog will not eat or drink
- if your dog is lethargic
- if your dog is vomiting, salivating, or unable to keep food or water down
- if your dog is struggling to pass feces
- if your dog shows any signs of allergic reaction – hives, itchy skin/ears/feet, rubbing at the face and mouth, swelling around the face and mouth
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can My Dog Get An Infection/STD From Eating A Condom?
Fortunately, dogs are not susceptible to any human strains of sexually transmitted diseases. This includes HIV, herpesvirus, and gonorrhea.
Should I Make My Dog Throw Up?
No. Unless specifically directed to do so by a veterinarian, do not make your dog throw up. Depending on the method used and the item/material/toxin ingested, inducing vomiting can make things worse, so never attempt to do this without first contacting your vet.
What About Colorful or Glow-in-the-Dark Condoms?
Because the dyes and chemicals used in some of the more ‘fun’ condom varieties are designed to be used on and in human bodies, they are generally based on safe substances. However, even some humans are allergic to certain dyes, chemicals, and latex, so it is still important to closely monitor your dog for any adverse reactions.
Final Thoughts
If your dog is in the bad books for eating a condom, the good news is that they will most likely be just fine. However, you will need to keep a close eye on them for the next couple of days to be sure.
If they have eaten more than 1 or 2, you need to contact your vet, and if they are making a habit out of eating your condoms, or any other non-food items, you should make an appointment so your vet can get to the bottom of this problematic behavior.
Dogs that go bin-diving for used condoms are not doing anything weird or sexual; they will simply be curious about the taste and smell, so make sure you discard your used prophylactic in a bin with a lid!
Watch out for signs of allergy, obstruction, or gastrointestinal distress, but hopefully, this little misadventure will go down as just an embarrassing story rather than an emergency trip to the vet.
Featured Image Credit: Elena Verba, Shutterstock
