Orbeez are a fun way to decorate the house, but they also look like candies and your dog might want to eat them. What happens if a dog eats Orbeez? Is it toxic? Will it cause any kind of problems? Let us find out.
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Orbeez is small particles that grow almost 100 times their volume when put in hot or normal water. People use Orbeez for hydrating plants or decorating flower holders, candle holders, etc.
Children love to play with these balls as they are attractive to look at, bounce, and can transmit light. They look a lot like candies.
So sometimes your furry friend might think of Orbeez as candy and eat it. But what happens if a dog eats Orbeez? Orbeez is not poisonous to dogs. However, there may be a problem with the size of the ball.
If the Orbeez ball expands to more than 7mm in diameter after it goes into the stomach of your dog, then it will cause intestinal blockage, which is dangerous.
So, if you find that your furry friend has ingested Orbeez by mistake, then it’s better to take him immediately to a veterinary doctor. The vet will induce vomiting as soon as possible. If the dog vomits the Orbeez when they are small, then it will not cause any harmful effect on.
Let us discuss more about dogs, Orbeez and symptoms and what to do if your dog ingests them. Keep on reading the article for more information.
What Is Orbeez?
Orbeez are also known as water beads. These balls consists of superabsorbent polymers which can retain a large amount of fluid compared to their mass. It mainly consists of acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide, and water.
These beads can grow up to 14mm in diameter when put in warm water. However, cold water will not have the same effect on Orbeez.
Orbeez is not poisonous to dogs or human beings. The problem starts when your dog ingests dry Orbeez, and it expands in his stomach.
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What Happens If My Dog Eats Orbeez?
Orbeez is colored balls that can attract your dog. He may ingest a few balls of Orbeez while playing, which can be dangerous.
These Orbeez balls are very small when ingested by your dog. But after swallowing, these tiny balls come in contact with gastric juice in the stomach and expand.
If its diameter is less than 7mm, it will not harm your dog. As they are not degradable, they will pass through the intestines and leave the digestive system.
Your dog’s stomach is designed for digesting smaller particles before moving to the intestines. But after swelling, if the diameter of Orbeez becomes more than 7mm in diameter, it can block your dog’s intestine.
Once the Orbeez gets stuck in the intestine, then food or water cannot properly move, which can be life-threatening.
What Are Symptoms Of Intestinal Blockage?
Once your dog has ingested Orbeez, and if it gets stuck in the intestine, he will have gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, stomach upset, and others. He may also have vomiting and severe pain in the abdomen. Your furry friend cannot be able to poop because of blockage in the intestine.
His stomach will be quite painful to touch. So, your dog may whine or behave aggressively when you touch his stomach.
You will also find behavioral changes in your dog. For instance, your dog will have a loss of appetite, or he will be restless and become dehydrated.
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What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Orbeez?
Orbeez can get stuck in the intestine and cause blockage, which can be dangerous for your dog. So, you can carry out some of the steps below for your dog’s safety.
#1. Don’t Give Food To Your Dog
If you find your dog has ingested Orbeez, don’t give the dog any food as it may cause food poisoning. You should take some of the Orbeez balls with you when taking your dog to a veterinary doctor. It will help the vet to diagnose the kind of Orbeez your dog has ingested.
#2. Induce Vomiting
You can induce vomiting within two to three hours once you find your dog ingested water beads. You can give 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to do so.
Try to give one spoon of hydrogen peroxide per 10 pounds of your dog’s body weight. So, if your dog is 20 pounds, you need to give two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide.
The hydrogen peroxide will cause your dog to vomit because it splits into hydrogen and water in the stomach, which will cause foam and appear too full.
Your dog will vomit to release the pressure. He will vomit most probably 10 to 15 minutes after taking hydrogen peroxide. You can make your dog walk to speed up the process.
But if your furry friend does not vomit within 45-50 minutes, you need to repeat the process, i.e., by giving him hydrogen peroxide once again. But please don’t panic while making your dog vomit, because a slight mistake may put your dog in trouble.
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#3. Take Your Dog To A Veterinary Doctor
If you are confident about making your dog vomit after ingesting Orbeez, it’s best to take your dog to a veterinary doctor. He will induce vomiting, by which Orbeez will be removed from your dog’s stomach.
But if your dog has ingested Orbeez for more than four or o five hours, then your veterinary doctor will do blood tests, Xray, and ultrasound.
By doing an ultrasound and X-ray, the doctor can diagnose the exact location of the Orbeez in the intestine. The blood test will help detect whether Orbeez has any adverse effect on your furry friend’s health.
The treatment will vary depending on the position of Orbeez on the intestine of your dog. Some blockages do not need treatment, whereas your dog may require endoscopy or significant surgery in other cases.
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How Long Does It Normally Take For An Orbeez To Grow?
If you soak dry Orbeez for four to five hours in the water, it will grow into a squishy ball. But if you want Orbeez to reach its maximum size, then soak them in water overnight. You will see beautiful colored balls in the morning.
The best thing is when you break these water beads, you will not see any water droplets because the polymer has absorbed the water. Is it not fascinating?
The Orbeez can also shrink back to its original size. When you keep them in an empty bowl for 24 to 48 hours, they will return to their original size. You can speed up the process by keeping the bowl in open sunlight.
Some kids want to reuse Orbeez and play with them for a longer time. However, you need to follow a few things before reusing them. I am listing them below.
- Wash your hands before and after using Orbeez.
- You need to store Orbeez in an airtight container.
- You can keep the airtight container to maximize its freshness.
- Try to add a teaspoon of salt while dipping Orbeez in water.
Another thing you need to remember is that if Orbeez will start smelling or if you find mold growing on them, then it’s better to throw them out.
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Other Uses Of Orbeez
#1. Kids Use Orbeez As Toys
Kids like to play with Orbeez. They put these water beads in their gun and shoot at each other. The Orbeez are harmless and will not hurt others.
#2. Orbeez Can Be Used For Decorating Homes
People use Orbeez for decorating homes. It illuminates light at night, which enhances the beauty of your dwelling.
#3.Gardening
Orbeez has immense benefits for gardening Kids love to play with Orbeez. They love to spread them in the garden.
These water beads absorb water from the dewdrops at night and hydrate the plants in the garden during the daytime. It will reduce your time in watering plants in the garden.
#4. Used In Diapers
Orbeez have absorbant technology, which makes them perfect for use in baby diapers and sanitary napkins.
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Frequently Asked Questions
#1. What happens if my dog eats water beads?
As long as they do not grow beyond 7mm in diameter, your dog will be fine.
The Water beads like Orbeez are not toxic for your dog. But if he swallows and the Orbeez grows more than 7mm in diameter, it will be a problem for your dog.
He may have stomach aches or constipation problems. The doctor may recommend endoscopy to remove the Orbeez from your furry friend’s stomach.
#2. What happens if an animal eats Orbeez?
If the animal either vomits them out or ejects them before they grow too big, it will be fine.
If a cat or dog ingests dry Orbeez, it will grow in size when exposed to their gastric juices. If it grows less than 7mm in diameter, it will not pose any threat to the animal. But if the Orbeez grows more than 7mm in diameter, it can be stuck somewhere in your dog’s stomach.
#3. Is an Orbeez poisonous?
Orbeez is not poisonous for dogs or humans.
However, it can pose a choking hazard for your pet animals and children.
A Few Final Words
Orbeez is good for decorating your house. But your dog can eat them by mistake. They are not toxic, but they can get stuck anywhere in the digestive system, which can be life-threatening.
So you should always keep Orbeez away from your pet dog or babies in the house. We thank you for reading this article and hope you got the answer to all your questions. If you have any further questions about Orbeez and what to do if your dog has ingested them, drop us a word in the comments.