No matter how careful we are, our dogs still manage to find a way to get their mouth on stuff that they shouldn’t. Despite our best efforts to keep them out of trouble, they still find a way to keep us on our toes.
For Marie Fournier, she found out that her dog consumed something that she shouldn’t have in the most unexpected way: her fitbit was still tracking ‘exercises’ even though she had lost it.
After noticing her two golden retrievers, Harley and Hailee, acting strangely, she decided to put it to the test. She took them on separate trips and soon realized that Harley had swallowed the tracking device she had been using as it was still tracking their location.
Harley (left) and Hailee (right), Fournier’s two golden retrievers. Credit: Marie Fournier.
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She immediately contacted her local vet in Caseville for assistance.
Highlighting the potential danger of pets ingesting foreign objects, Dr. Renee Schmid, manager of veterinary medicine and professional services at the Pet Poison Helpline, shared her views on the matter.
“Our main concern was the battery,” Schmid said. “If the battery was exposed in the stomach, that would be cause for greater concern.”
Turns out the Fitbit was still tracking ‘exercises’ even while inside Harley’s stomach! Credit: Marie Fournier.
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Schmid explained that the chemicals inside the battery can cause burns and ulcers in the dog’s mouth, esophagus, and stomach if not addressed immediately.
Thus, it is essential to reach out to a vet if an animal has swallowed a foreign object. Depending on the object swallowed, it might require serious immediate action like swallowing a battery in Harley’s case.
It was suggested that Harley should be taken to the vet for an X-ray.
Fortunately for Fournier, Harley had swallowed the entire Fitbit so that the battery was still enclosed inside the Fitbit’s band.
An x-ray image that shows the Fitbit and the rock inside Harley’s stomach. Credit: Marie Fournier.
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This prevented the lithium battery from coming into contact with the inside of her stomach. It also possibly kept the device from passing into her intestine and causing more complications.
The X-rays also revealed an additional foreign object in Harley’s stomach: a rock the size of a plum.
Schmid stated that depending on the size, characteristics, and position of an object, it may be able to move through the body on its own after some time, or an endoscopy or inducing vomiting can be used to take it out.
In Harley’s case, the rock and the Fitbit were removed via surgery.
Both the Fitbit and a rock were removed from Harley’s stomach using surgery. Credit: Marie Fournier.
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Fournier noted that Harley eating the Fitbit might also have been a blessing in disguise.
“If she hadn’t eaten the device, we wouldn’t have known about the rock,” Fournier said. “And the rock might have caused more damage, or even death.”
Even after being surgically removed from her stomach, the Fitbit is still functional. Fournier is still using the Fitbit, although she has taken the necessary steps to keep it secure.
“I recently purchased a new band, and the Fitbit itself continues to track. I’m keeping it out of reach now,” she said.
Thankfully, Harley had a quick recovery and has not managed to swallow any more Fitbits since.
Schmid suggests that if you think your pet has eaten something dangerous, like a battery, you should get in touch with your local vet clinic and call the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.
