Ate something black and smudgy...

[lillymae]

That could be but keep in mind that lots of candles have lead in the wick & if she actually ate a part of a wick she could be in trouble. I just would not take a chance with a pup this tiny.

[rubymoon2072]

well that might be it....im not sure if that is toxic to them or not maybe call them back with the thoughts of finding what it was and see if they can tell you if that is toxic to ingest.

[Sandysbabies]

We just had surgery done on Dudley from my eyeliner pencil. They did x-rays but they can also do the barium x-rays, which are pretty expensive. But, you want to know and not guess. He had to stay overnite on IV's and then they did the surgery. Put him on antibotics after he got home and was on a prescription diet for a week. He is alot better but really sore and his little tummy is bruised from the incision. It was a scary deal but please find out for sure on that baby. You never know.

[Carmeow]

Originally Posted by lillymae

That could be but keep in mind that lots of candles have lead in the wick & if she actually ate a part of a wick she could be in trouble. I just would not take a chance with a pup this tiny.

I'm certain it was from the wick now. I had a candle placed directly above the carpet spot where the black is. I'm not worried about lead in the wick, I buy SOLELY from Candles By Victoria online. It's stated in her FAQ

"Safety is a top priority at the National Candle Association, which is why no member of the NCA (which accounts for 90 percent of all candles made in the U.S.) uses lead wicks. NCA members voluntarily agreed more than 25 years ago not to use lead wicks, and in 2000 asked all U.S. candle manufacturers to sign a formal pledge not to use lead wicks. Some imported candles reportedly have been found to contain lead wicks. Candles By Victoria strongly supports the Consumer Product Safety Commission's proposal to ban lead candlewicks from the U.S. marketplace."

I feel a little better now, knowing what it was and that there's no lead in it...and she seems okay. I still worry that I'm a bad mom if I don't bring her in.

[maggiefromnj]

How much wick could possible have been on the floor? Any chance it's poo?
Had you walked her recently? This time of year there starts to be this tarry black bird poop. Not sure what bird, maybe a wild turkey or something. It's black and tarry and when Maggie spots it she WANTS it. She doesn't eat other poo, but this stuff attracts her.

I would monitor her closely and if she acts different then take her in. I bet she'll be fine.

I think the vets office was saying that they wouldn't be able to treat it if they don't know what it is and there are no symptoms. They would look at her, check her vitals and how she is acting and probably say take her home and keep an eye on her.

Crazy isn't it how they can find things we never even knew were there?

[Carmeow]

Originally Posted by Sandysbabies

We just had surgery done on Dudley from my eyeliner pencil. They did x-rays but they can also do the barium x-rays, which are pretty expensive. But, you want to know and not guess. He had to stay overnite on IV's and then they did the surgery. Put him on antibotics after he got home and was on a prescription diet for a week. He is alot better but really sore and his little tummy is bruised from the incision. It was a scary deal but please find out for sure on that baby. You never know.

I'm so sorry to hear about Dudley. This comment alone would've sent me into panic mode and I'd already be in the car, but I'm 100% sure it wasn't eyeliner. I wear liquid and gel eyeliner, both of which haven't been touched in months. I hope your baby feels all better soon though, and THANK YOU so much for telling me what happened. It would've been so imformative if the situation fit.

[Bitsy]

Oddly enough I had the same thing happen with Peyton once. Only it was in his hair around his mouth, but didn't look to be in his mouth at all. I had to cut his hair because of how thick and strange the black stuff was. Still don't know what it was and it as ever happened since then.

[lillymae]

If you are 100% sure it is candle wick & are 100% sure there is no lead in it then she should be fine. But IF there is absolutely any doubt in your mind then she needs to be seen. You can cut the wick & with a magnifier look close at the center of the wick & if there is a tiny whire in the center then there is lead in it.

[Nancy1999]

This site had information about checking your candles for a lead wick.

Some candle wicks have a very thin metal core material used to keep the wick upright while burning. If this core is of a lead-based composition, unsafe levels of lead can be released into the air.

"Lead cored wicks not widely available"

Some 20 years ago, North American suppliers and manufacturers voluntarily stopped using lead based wicks in candle products, and they remain generally unavailable to candle makers today. If you've recently purchased a candle from a US producer, chances are it does not use a lead cored wick. Most metal cored wicks used today have zinc or tin as the core ingredient, and are completely safe to use in wicks. Read about Zinc wicks from the leading manufacturer of candle wicks

FACT: Testing done by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission indicate that 3% of candles available for purchase may contain unsafe levels of lead.

Take a minute to follow the steps below to see if you may be at risk.

How to tell if your candle has a lead wick:

Inspect your candle. Look closely at the wick - a metal cored wick has a visible 'wire' in the center. You may need to use your fingers to separate the core from the outer wrapping. ** If this wire core is not present, then your candle does not have a lead cored wick. If you do see a wire core, then...

Ask. Contact the manufacturer of your candle, and ask them if they use lead cored wicks in their products. We've already asked many producers for you - look for them in our database. If you are unable to get an answer from the manufacturer, play it safe and DO NOT BURN YOUR CANDLE. Candle-Safety.Org

[lovespandp]

Doesn't wick have a little smell?? I know even on unscented candles you can still smell the wick esp if it has been burned..?

[Carmeow]

I couldn't smell anything on the floor. Nor when I just smelled the wick in the candle. I rubbed some off on my fingers and it looked exactly the same as it had when I checked her mouth.

[Ellie May]

Honestly, I wouldn't be too concerned. Try to figure out what it is. If you find out and an ingredient is questionable, call poison control. If you don't know, not much can be done.

There is risk here, but dogs eat things they shouldn't alllll the time. Sniffing the grass outside..owners have no idea what they lick up.

Vets can't really do much if they don't know what the pup ate. They can do blabs. Most probably wouldn't unless there were symptoms. The attitude from the receptionist wasn't right. You can talk to the practice manager about it. They sometimes like to know about this kind of thing.

My oys eats anything and everything all the time. I stop him when I can and ignore the rest or I would have driven myself insane a long time ago.

You old call back and talk directly to the vet if youre still worried.

[kjc]

FYI: Whoever answered the phone at your vet's office needs to be retrained. Vets will see emergencies during normal business hours, you just have to tell them it's an emergency and you are coming in.(Costs more than a regular office visit but who cares) They are supposed to let the vet know so he/she can prepare.

Ask your vet about his emergency policies to be sure. Never listen to the receptionist when they say she'll probably be fine. One cannot diagnose illness nor wellness over the phone, especially when one is not a vet. She probably didn't want another client coming in... makes them have to work. You can also ask to speak directly to the vet concerning your pup.

A pencil ingested of any kind could mean splinters in the throat or stomach, not to mention anything toxic it may have contained.


And about your pup, I'd be checking all the electrical outlets...

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by kjc

FYI: Whoever answered the phone at your vet's office needs to be retrained. Vets will see emergencies during normal business hours, you just have to tell them it's an emergency and you are coming in.(Costs more than a regular office visit but who cares) They are supposed to let the vet know so he/she can prepare.

Ask your vet about his emergency policies to be sure. Never listen to the receptionist when they say she'll probably be fine. One cannot diagnose illness nor wellness over the phone, especially when one is not a vet. She probably didn't want another client coming in... makes them have to work. You can also ask to speak directly to the vet concerning your pup.

A pencil ingested of any kind could mean splinters in the throat or stomach, not to mention anything toxic it may have contained.


And about your pup, I'd be checking all the electrical outlets...

I didn't understand this last statement.

[chachi]

Im assuming she means the pup could have chewed on a cord that was plugged in. I would check on that also since yorkies are notorious cord chewers