Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 7/30/2008

Question
I have a female 4 month old Puggle. She chews on everything. We are using the pee pad method. So she will go pee on it. But she also likes tearing it up sometimes. She will eat the plastic side of the pad. The plastic is in her poop. But today I think I say blood with her poop. Just a tiny bit. But I am  sure it's blood. Do you think there is plastic stuck in her intestins? Would she need surgery?

Answer
Dawn -

If your puppy gets enough plastic into her intestine and that plastic is not passing, then she may need surgery.  Have her evaluated by a veterinarian top determine if she will need radiographs to find out if she is not passing  the plastic she is chewing.  

Try to redirect your puppy with proper toys to chew on if you see her chewing the pee-pee pads.  It is quite natural for a puppy to chew, but you do not want her to get into the  habit of chewing everything she decides to chew.  Give her chew toys and if you cannot supervise her during the day, try crate training in an effort to encourage her to become potty trained. Crate training can help her to develop those natural instincts not to soil her own area; she may not need the pee pee pads is she is crate trained properly.  Place appropriate toys in her crate, and she will also learn to chew those toys instead of her plastic pee pee pads.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM