HELP my young cat swallowed large chicken bone!

[eddieandmurphy]

There are no Pet Emergency Clinics open at this hour in my area, nor anyone to call.

Tonight at dinner, one of my cats jumped on table when I wasn't looking and swallowed (with ease) a chicken bone (from leg) about 1/2 width and about two inches long - not a SMALL bone. IT went down like a pill and I tried to get it out before he swallowed it.

He seems fine, again, it went down with ease - the only choking came when I stuck my fingers down his throat in a desperate attempt to keep him from swallowing. He is only about 9 months old and not very big - my concern is can he digest it? Will it cause any major problems?

I plan on taking him to the vet tomorrow but, as you can relate I am really worried about any immediate repercussions this evening.

ANy help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Tina B and crew]

Absolutely no emergency vets open?? Surely some of the vets have to have a way to provide emergency care. Have you tried calling every vet in the area to see if they have an emergency phone number? If not I'd suggest doing so.

Only other thing I can suggest is to watch him like a hawk tonight...hopefully he will do Ok. I would get him to the vet first thing in the morning...do not wait. Bones could easily perforate the stomach or intestines if they are sharp...or they could cause a blockage. If you truly can't get in touch with any ER vets tonight I don't know what else to tell you. Please keep us updated.

[Traci]

Tina is right, call every vet in your area, ASAP, look in your phone book and call them all to see who has the nearest ER vet clinic, and get your kitty there TONIGHT!

Do NOT take risks, according to your description, the bone is too large to pass, bone fragments do NOT digest in the stomach. Your kitty may be at risk for esophageal, stomach or intestinal obstruction and perforation which would be life-threatening and may require surgical removal.

Do not wait, call every vet and get an emergency vet to see you RIGHT NOW.

Btw, never stick your fingers down a pet's throat when trying to retrieve a foreign object, you could worsen the situation considerably by pushing it further, rupturing the esophagus, causing choking and obstructing the airway....emergency vet is always the appropriate thing to do in such cases (unless you can visibly see the object and can safely retrieve it from the mouth without causing damage)

[davet]

if you cana;t get a vet then feed your kitten some hamburger with some cotton mixed up in it..the coitton will snag on the ends of the bones and possible help it pass through without caus9ng trouble..... emergency vet first, cotton second

[Traci]

I'm sorry, Davet, I disagree. If there is already an obstruction present, feeing food or cotton will only add to the obstruction and could be fatal...and I wouldn't recommend cotton anyway.

[davet]

sorry too
Traci but it is better than doing noathing...I never in 45 years ever had to rfemove a chicken bone once it got past the throat.....I had to c=surgically remove T-bones, rib bones etc etc...but never a chicken bone//A vet told me of the feeduing cottone when i first started practice and used it for years....but again that is my experience...I would rether see an animal eat chicken bones that orther one......but that is just my experience,,,yours is different but thats what makes the world go arounfd