Dog Ate Pieces of a Tennis Ball – What to Do Next

How dangerous the ingestion of tennis ball pieces is to dogs will depend on a number of factors such as the size of the tennis ball piece the dog ate and the dog’s body size.

What happens if a dog eats a piece of tennis ball?

The main danger and health risk is with blockage. The dog won’t be able to digest the piece of tennis ball. It may get stuck somewhere along the dog’s digestive tract. Intestinal blockage, for example, can become a life-threatening condition if it isn’t treated quickly.

Choking may also occur if the piece of tennis ball gets stuck somewhere in the dog’s mouth, throat, or esophagus. In addition to excessive coughing, the dog may show other concerning symptoms like rubbing their face against the ground. They may also try to signal their distress by pawing at their mouth.

What to do if your dog ate a piece of tennis ball

Call the vet immediately. They will be able to advise whether a trip to the clinic is necessary for further diagnosis. If the piece of tennis ball is tiny enough, they may just advise you to monitor your dog for a few days until the piece of tennis ball eventually comes out from the other side.

Don’t try to induce vomiting unless the vet has given explicit approval. This could make the situation worse. The piece of tennis ball may get stuck in an even worse position if a dog tries to gag and cough it out.