What is Battery Poisoning?
Batteries are used to power everything from kids toys, to cell phones, to hearing aids. They are often small and this makes them easy to chew and swallow. This can be exceptionally dangerous to your pet. The alkaline in most batteries causes a condition of the mucous membranes in the mouth and gastrointestinal system called liquefaction necrosis causing deeply penetrating ulcers that form over several hours. If your pet chews on or ingests a battery seek veterinary attention immediately. It is not recommended to induce vomiting if your pet has ingested a battery as it can cause additional corrosion and pain in the esophagus, and increase the chances of airway obstruction.
Batteries can cause serious damage when chewed or ingested and must be kept out of reach. If your dog has chewed on or eaten a battery it should be treated as an emergency.
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Average Cost
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Symptoms of Battery Poisoning in Dogs
Some of the symptoms of battery poisoning occur immediately upon ingestion. Other symptoms may not be apparent for several hours. Ulcers that are seen shortly after contact with the alkaline materials may continue to worsen over the next twelve hours or so as the tissues soften due to a process called liquefaction necrosis.
- Abdominal pain
- Black, tarry feces
- Difficulty swallowing
- Excessive drooling
- Fever/hyperthermia
- Increase in white blood cells
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Mouth pain
- Ulcers in the mouth
- Ulcers on tongue
- Vomiting
Types
There are several types of battery that can cause symptoms if punctured or ingested. The most common types of battery that dogs get into are batteries that most people have around the house.
Cylindrical - This battery is probably the most common battery we think of and the most common one for a dog to be able to chew. Some cylindrical batteries employ alkaline and carbon zinc materials while others are the lithium variety. The burns from lithium batteries can be particularly severe, but the alkaline batteries are more likely to be damaged by stomach acid, possibly leading to heavy metal poisoning.
Button battery - These are usually small batteries used in smaller electronics like cameras, hearing aids and watches. These batteries present an extra risk as they can allow an electrical current to pass to nearby tissues, causing current-induced necrosis. One 3-volt lithium button battery can cause severe necrosis to the esophagus or gastrointestinal system in less than half an hour. Some button batteries also have cadmium and mercury, both of which can prove toxic to your pet.
Causes of Battery Poisoning in Dogs
There are several elements in batteries that cause them to be dangerous:
Alkaline material
- Most household batteries contain alkaline material that can cause liquefaction necrosis which creates deeply penetrating ulcers that form over several hours
Acidic material
- Car batteries are often lead-acid batteries
- In the unlikely event that your dog chews through the casing of a car battery, the acid could cause severe burns to the mouth and eyes
- The burns are not as deeply penetrating as the ulcers caused by an alkaline material
Heavy metals
- There are several heavy metals that are used in batteries that can be toxic to your pet
- Toxic metals that can be found in batteries include lead, zinc, mercury, cadmium and cobalt
Electric current
- This is of particular concern with disc and button batteries
- The way that these batteries are formed allows an electrical current to cause necrosis to nearby tissues when it gets lodged in the esophagus or as it travels through the gastrointestinal system
Diagnosis of Battery Poisoning in Dogs
If you suspect your dog has ingested a battery it is imperative to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will get a history of the symptoms from you and perform a physical examination. If you have any portion of the battery that has not been ingested bring that with you to the veterinarian’s office. The physical examination will pay special attention to the mouth and throat area to see if any ulcers or spots of liquefaction necrosis have developed and to see if there is any black powder in the mouth from a punctured battery. Even if your veterinarian does not find any ulcers during the initial appointment, they can still develop over the next twelve hours or so. X-rays will be recommended to check and see if any part of the battery is still inside the patient and to determine if it is intact or has been fractured. As the symptoms of battery poisoning can mimic other types of corrosive poison your veterinarian may need to test for other toxins as well to ensure the correct treatment is provided, particularly if the battery can’t be located.
Treatment of Battery Poisoning in Dogs
The treatment is going to depend on several factors such as the amount of time since ingestion, the type of battery that was ingested, where it is in the gastrointestinal system and whether or not the battery has been damaged by chewing. Vomiting should NOT be induced as it can increase the corrosive damage to the esophagus and gastrointestinal system as well as increasing the chances of esophageal obstruction. Activated charcoal should also be avoided as it may increase the chances of vomiting and the toxic ingredients involved will not bind to it. If the battery was chewed in any way, the first course of action your veterinarian will take is to judiciously rinse the mouth area and any skin exposed to caustic ingredients. Medication may also be given to add a layer of protection within the gastrointestinal system. If the battery or battery fragments are found by the x-ray imaging they will usually be removed by endoscopy, which allows the veterinarian to view the esophagus and stomach as well. If the battery cannot be removed by endoscopy, surgery may be required.
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Recovery of Battery Poisoning in Dogs
Most patients should be kept off of food for 12-24 hours to allow the system to heal. GI protectants and antacids may be recommended at this point as they promote healing to the tissues of the gastrointestinal system. A temporary change in diet may also be recommended, generally to a bland, high-fiber regimen. Antibiotics are often required and the full course should be taken as prescribed by your veterinarian, and pain medications will be prescribed as needed. Your canine should continue to be monitored to ensure that symptoms of mercury or heavy metal poisoning are spotted if they develop. If symptoms of theses types of toxicity do develop contact your veterinarian for further treatment immediately.
Battery Poisoning Average Cost
From 63 quotes ranging from $200 - $5,000
Average Cost
$400
Top
Battery Poisoning Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
miniature pinscher chihuahua
Echo Torres
6 Months
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My dog chewed up a AAA Battery maybe like an hour ago. He seems fine but I know symptoms present about 12 hours later. We gave him some milk but can’t afford to take him to the vet is there anything else that we can do for him? I’m worried that it could get worse and I don’t know what to do for him.
July 14, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 Recommendations
If Echo did not swallow the battery, he may suffer burns to his mouth and throat over the next few days. If he swallowed the battery, he can have burns throughout his GI tract, or the battery may cause a foreign body that needs to be removed. There may be nothing that you can do for him at home, and he may need medical help. If he is drooling, vomiting, not eating, or seems painful, he should see a veterinarian. Most clinics do offer CareCredit to help with unexpected expenses.
July 14, 2018
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Pitbull/boxer
Baylee
9 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
None
My pit bull/boxer mix ate three AA batteries. There are no signs of irritation or no vomiting. She does seem to act a little different but its fourth of July. She seems a little more tired though. We dont have the money right now. What should I do?
July 5, 2018
0 Recommendations
The main problem with batteries is if they start leaking whilst transiting the gastrointestinal tract; at this point it is too late to induce vomiting or anything else, if she hasn’t passed the batteries by now you should visit a Veterinarian regardless of cost to be on the safe side and to get an x-ray to see where they are in the gastrointestinal tract. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
July 6, 2018
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Golden Retriever
Murphy and Harper
20 Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Nothing
Came home from being gone about 6 hours, fed both dogs realized they ate a calculator while I was gone. They may or may not have eaten a small button battery. Alkaline. Can't find it. Emerg vet wants 1000.00 per dog to see and crazy. Don't have 2k.
June 24, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
I'm sorry that that happened with Murphy and Harper! It is difficult to know what to do when you aren't sure if they ate it or not, or who might have eaten it if they did. The bad part of this situation is that those batteries can be very damaging to the GI tract, very quickly. The burns from lithium batteries can be particularly severe, but the alkaline batteries are more likely to be damaged by stomach acid, possibly leading to heavy metal poisoning. Button batteries present an extra risk as they can allow an electrical current to pass to nearby tissues, causing current-induced necrosis. One 3-volt lithium button battery can cause severe necrosis to the esophagus or gastrointestinal system in less than half an hour. Some button batteries also have cadmium and mercury, both of which can prove toxic . I"m not sure what the emergency clinic is quoting for, but one thing that would make sense to me would be to have x-rays taken of both dogs, as the battery will show up clearly on the x-rays, and you will know if you have a problem or not. That should not cost 1000.00, and should help clear up the mystery. I hope that they are both okay.
June 24, 2018
Hi my 5 months old beagle chewed a AAA battery yesterday 9pm.
Symptoms:
He ate after but just vomited it.
He was itching after a few hours until morning but he's ok now.
He has black feces too.
I gave him few amounts of milk. Hes still energetic and likes to eat. His neck is a bit red. What do you prescribe doctor?
June 28, 2018
Chachi N.
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Lab mix
Brooks
7 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Bloating
My 7 week old puppy found a battery that our other dog knocked off the table. I’m not entirely sure whether the puppy or the older dog ate it. Neither have symptoms. The puppy just had diarrhea and the older dog, a 2 year old Pit Bull Lab, hasn’t done anything out of the norm. He puppy is sleeping now, no vomiting or anything. Our very clinic doesn’t open for another four hours, what’s the best solution. Her stomach does feel a little bigger though.
June 23, 2018
0 Recommendations
Since it has been four hours since you’ve asked your question, I assume you’ve visited your Veterinarian to determine which dog has consumed the battery; however if you haven’t visited your Veterinarian you should do since acid from batteries may leak in the gastrointestinal tract so it is always best to identify if the battery has been consumed and to manage accordingly. Button batteries are generally worse than your standard batteries (A-D), but all have the potential to be fatal. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 24, 2018
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Lab mix
Brooks
7 Weeks
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Diarrhea
Bloating
My 7 week old puppy found a battery that our other dog knocked off the table. I’m not entirely sure whether the puppy or the older dog ate it. Neither have symptoms. The puppy just had diarrhea and the older dog, a 2 year old Pit Bull Lab, hasn’t done anything out of the norm. He puppy is sleeping now, no vomiting or anything. Our very clinic doesn’t open for another four hours, what’s the best solution. Her stomach does feel a little bigger though.
June 23, 2018
0 Recommendations
Since it has been four hours since you’ve asked your question, I assume you’ve visited your Veterinarian to determine which dog has consumed the battery; however if you haven’t visited your Veterinarian you should do since acid from batteries may leak in the gastrointestinal tract so it is always best to identify if the battery has been consumed and to manage accordingly. Button batteries are generally worse than your standard batteries (A-D), but all have the potential to be fatal. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 24, 2018
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Battery Poisoning Average Cost
From 63 quotes ranging from $200 - $5,000
Average Cost
$400
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
