View Full Version : Sav ate duct tape
Hi all,
I was feeding my sav with an old tong that had duct tape on it. He ripped the duct tape off and swallowed it. Is this going to be a problem?
Mikoh4792
02-27-14, 12:40 PM
how much did he swallow? I'd call a vet.
philbyi-guy
02-27-14, 12:58 PM
How big is the sav? I'd have a vet check it out.
LiL Zap
02-27-14, 01:05 PM
I agree with the other members and would definitely bring him to a vet. I'm a vet tech (for dogs and cats, not reptiles :() and you would be surprised how much damage a small item ingested could do to an animal.
Pirarucu
02-27-14, 05:35 PM
Definitely go to a vet right away.
So...I am asking as someone who treats humans, not monitors....
You get a hunk of tape in your mouth...you chew on it for a bit, tape gets coated with saliva, you swallow and it goes down your slimy, mucus coated esophagus. There is gets mixed with your gastric acid (pH 2.0) and other digestive enzymes. Afterward, it passes in some form to your intestines and eventually out your bum mixed in with other fun stuff. No harm no foul. I have treated countless kids in the ED who have ingested all sorts of round things, square things, spikey things, and spongey things. Other than button batteries, there really isn't anything that is hugely problematic (maybe fish hooks)....as long as the object passes through the outlet of the stomach (pylorus)....
So here's my question....monitors will eat things of sizes and shapes of things that would gag most mammals. My guess is, that if the chunk of tape makes it into the stomach, it's a goner. I'm also guessing that if you take this monitor to the vet, he/she will do what we do and say "hmmmm...yep, that's a hunk of tape. We need to watch it and make sure it passes". Can anyone let me know, form a veterinary standpoint....what would the evaluation and treatment of this situation be? Is there something inherent to the tape that from a reptilian medicine standpoint, would require intervention (endoscopy or surgery)?
Starbuck...can you jump in and add some vet info? I really do want to know...
Jim Smith
02-27-14, 08:09 PM
MDT,
While I suspect that you're very probably correct that the 1 inch of duct tape shouldn't be too harmful to the monitor lizard, one thing that you left off of your list of very dangerous items for kids to swallow are magnets; especially rare earth magnets. They can be fatal if they swallow them especially if they swallow more than one. Just a thought...
Starbuck
02-27-14, 08:28 PM
Haven't gotten to specifics at this point yet regarding digestion etc, but i would suspect that YES, all a vet would do at this point would be to watch and wait. If no defecation occurs (and husbandry is correct), or the animal starts refusing food and losing weight, or passes only very thin, watery diarrhea, then is when you need to start evaluating surgical options. At most a very enterprising vet might suggest some mineral oil or equivalent, but i don't feel that thats necessary given the size of the tape and size of the monitor (i think i remember it is over a year old, and a fair size, right?)
Given what monitors eat in the wild (all kinds of chitin, carapaces and binding bits of fur, remember they don't chew(!), i think the duct tape should pass fine. Whether it gets digested at all is questionable, but it should pass alright i bet.
That being said, 2 years ago my 12 yo cat did need surgery for a foreign body removal, and it was a half of an almond (?!?!?!) so.... in that case my vet was pretty incredulous that it didn't pass on its own, but it just happened to get caught at the right angle just at the first bend of the duodenum.
So...I am asking as someone who treats humans, not monitors....
You get a hunk of tape in your mouth...you chew on it for a bit, tape gets coated with saliva, you swallow and it goes down your slimy, mucus coated esophagus. There is gets mixed with your gastric acid (pH 2.0) and other digestive enzymes. Afterward, it passes in some form to your intestines and eventually out your bum mixed in with other fun stuff. No harm no foul. I have treated countless kids in the ED who have ingested all sorts of round things, square things, spikey things, and spongey things. Other than button batteries, there really isn't anything that is hugely problematic (maybe fish hooks)....as long as the object passes through the outlet of the stomach (pylorus)....
So here's my question....monitors will eat things of sizes and shapes of things that would gag most mammals. My guess is, that if the chunk of tape makes it into the stomach, it's a goner. I'm also guessing that if you take this monitor to the vet, he/she will do what we do and say "hmmmm...yep, that's a hunk of tape. We need to watch it and make sure it passes". Can anyone let me know, form a veterinary standpoint....what would the evaluation and treatment of this situation be? Is there something inherent to the tape that from a reptilian medicine standpoint, would require intervention (endoscopy or surgery)?
Starbuck...can you jump in and add some vet info? I really do want to know...
MDT,
While I suspect that you're very probably correct that the 1 inch of duct tape shouldn't be too harmful to the monitor lizard, one thing that you left off of your list of very dangerous items for kids to swallow are magnets; especially rare earth magnets. They can be fatal if they swallow them especially if they swallow more than one. Just a thought...
Yep....However (probably fortunately), most of what I've had to deal with on the indigestible side has been coins and Leggo's. Accidental ingestion of medications far out paces everything else with regard to my practice and what kids put in their mouths. Having said that, in the absence of obstructive symptoms, the duct tape won't be an issue.
I agree, watch and wait. As long as it keeps excreting wastes regularly, and is properly hydrated, then this too shall pass. ;)
KORBIN5895
02-28-14, 07:24 AM
Why are button batteries so bad?
Thx all for the feedback. He is pretty much 3 feet. I think it makes sense to just watch as many have pointed out, since the vet really can't do much. He did take a big poo today and still ate. I didn't see any tape in there tho. Maybe next poo.
Lankyrob
02-28-14, 07:53 AM
Why are button batteries so bad?
Something to do with the way they react with stomach acid, cant remembere the specifics tho.
KORBIN5895
02-28-14, 08:18 AM
Something to do with the way they react with stomach acid, cant remembere the specifics tho.
I assume it has to do with the stomach acids releasing the battery's acid.
actually, a current is produced and the end result is release of sodium hydroxide causing tissue damage called liquefaction necrosis. This causes bad stuff in GI tract including burns and perforation of esophagus (if lodged there), etc...
KORBIN5895
02-28-14, 10:14 AM
So..... Is that the preferred method of killing off pesky neighbourhood kids?
Pirarucu
02-28-14, 10:38 AM
I agree that the vet response would most likely be to keep an eye on it to see if it passes on its own, and if it doesn't then surgery could be needed. It will probably go through no problem, but I would still have a vet take a look to see what it's doing.
Terranaut
02-28-14, 11:00 AM
I was a bit gun shy about this thread yesterday. I wanted to post "wait for it to pass" but figured a post that didn't say to go to the vet would have ended in debate. I would just wait and see....no pooping....go to a vet.
Best thing to learn here is not to use tape on the ends of feeding tongs.
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