Those of us who live with Clumber Spaniels know how they love to carry things in their mouths. It’s a part of their breed type. They will greet you with a toy, shoe, string, kitchen towel, anything, as a gift of endearment. But, we know how dangerous it can be if or when the Clumber Spaniel decides to ingest their prize. Intestinal obstructions are very real, and something you want to avoid.
Foreign Body Ingestion and Obstruction- a partial or complete blockage of the flow of nutrients from the stomach into and through the intestines.
Possible Symptoms- stop eating, stop drinking, vomit, diarrhea or difficulty defecating, drooling, painful abdomen, bloated, whining, acting PUNK.
Action Steps- Seek treatment as soon as you see symptoms or suspect your Clumber Spaniel has consumed something indigestible. The longer you wait, the worst the prognosis will be.
Items Clumber Spaniels will ingest- Money ($20 bills, not $1 bills), leather (the better it is, the more likely it will be ingested), books, toys, hand towels, nylons, socks, baseboard molding, ear buds, drywall……to only name a few.
Story Time- I have experienced two obstruction surgeries, two near misses, and several other close calls with our SunMagic Clumber Spaniel crew. We had a 7 month old Clumber Spaniel who vomited. After washing off the glob, it was a leather glove that was not mine! Puzzled, I traced my steps to realize that while at obedience class the night before the dog must of gotten into someone’s handbag while I was not looking. As it turned out, he ate the PAIR of loves. Two days later our puppy was in surgery to remove the second glove.
So What Does This Mean-SunMagic Clumber Spaniels have only the following items in their toy chest: Extreme Kongs, Nylabones, White Bones, and Cuz balls with the feet cut off. And, growing a set of eyes in the back of your head and quick reflexes can be helpful.
Please take proper precautions and stay alert. Clumber Spaniels are smart and stealthy consumers of foreign objects. They tend to be repeat offenders, too.
Stay well, stay safe!
SunMagic Clumber Spaniel NuNews
Henry earned his tracking dog title in December 2016. Most recently he was awarded Select Dog for 5 points toward his grand championship at the prestigious American Spaniel Club 97th Annual Flushing Spaniel Show. Now known as CH. SunMagic King Of The Kastle, TD, CGC
Derby earns a 5 point major towards his championship and an Award of Merit at the American Spaniel Club 97th Annual Flushing Spaniel Show.
