My Dog Ate My Shoe! Now What?

It’s one of those moments every pet parent dreads.

You wake up, swing your feet out of bed… and there it is.

The sole of your shoe. On the floor. In pieces.

Your first thought: What just happened?

Your second: Who did this?

And your third (usually): Is my dog going to be okay?

This is a true story—and a powerful reminder of why foreign body ingestion is one of the most common (and serious) emergencies veterinarians see.

A True Story: When “Uh Oh” Turns Into a Long Day

At 8:00 a.m., the damage was discovered: a chewed shoe next to the bed.

The prime suspect? Allie, a Doberman who had undergone major emergency surgery just two weeks earlier for GDV (bloat) and a foreign body obstruction.

A quick mouth check confirmed it—leather was caught between her teeth.

At that moment, the concern wasn’t the shoe itself. It was what could still be sitting in her stomach—or already moving into her intestines.

What followed was an all-day process of carefully monitoring, inducing vomiting under veterinary knowledge, and confirming that as much foreign material as possible had been removed from the stomach.

Over several hours, pieces of:

• Leather

• Fabric

• Stuffing

• Cotton fibers

• Food contents

were expelled. By late afternoon, vomiting stopped and the stomach appeared empty—but that didn’t mean the danger was completely over.

Why This Situation Is So Dangerous

When dogs eat things that aren’t food—shoes, socks, toys, fabric, stuffing—those items can:

• Get stuck in the stomach

• Move into the intestines and cause a blockage

• Lead to vomiting, dehydration, pain, or rupture

• Require emergency surgery, which can cost thousands of dollars

Even when vomiting occurs, not everything always comes back up.

That’s why the next 48–72 hours are critical.

What Happens After the Immediate Crisis?

When a dog may have swallowed a foreign object, veterinarians often focus on:

• Careful monitoring for vomiting, lethargy, or appetite changes

• High-fiber diets to help safely move small remnants through the GI tract

• Multiple small meals rather than one large feeding

• Close stool monitoring to confirm normal bowel movements

• Strict supervision to prevent repeat incidents

In this case, meals were adjusted and stools were checked carefully to make sure nothing else was passing through—and that no new symptoms appeared.

Important Safety Note

Do NOT induce vomiting at home unless a veterinarian specifically instructs you to do so.

Hydrogen peroxide and at-home vomiting protocols are not safe in every situation and can be dangerous for:

• Dogs with recent surgery

• Brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds

• Dogs that ingested sharp objects, caustic materials, or large items

Always call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic first.

Signs Your Dog Needs Immediate Veterinary Care

If your dog eats something they shouldn’t—or you suspect they did—contact a vet right away, especially if you see:

• Repeated or unproductive vomiting

• Lethargy or restlessness

• Abdominal pain or bloating

• Loss of appetite

• Straining to poop or no bowel movements

• Drooling or signs of distress

  
  

When it comes to foreign bodies, waiting can make things much worse.

Prevention: The Hard (But Necessary) Lesson

After this incident, Allie lost some privileges:

• No unsupervised roaming

• No sleeping in the bed

• Increased crate and controlled time

It’s not punishment—it’s protection.

Dogs that chew once are more likely to do it again, especially anxious, bored, or curious dogs. Prevention is always safer (and far less expensive) than emergency treatment.

Final Takeaway

If your dog eats your shoe—or anything that’s not food—don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either.

Foreign body ingestion is common, serious, and often preventable with:

• Early action

• Veterinary guidance

• Close monitoring

• Environmental control

If you’re ever unsure what to do, call your veterinarian immediately. Quick decisions can make the difference between a scary day at home and a life-threatening emergency.

If you have questions or concerns about your pet, the team at Angelcare Veterinary Clinic is always here to help guide you through next steps—before small problems become big ones.