1. If eaten by a small dog (<5kg), contact your veterinarian.
  2. Your veterinarian may instruct you to induce vomiting, however, do not induce vomiting unless instructed to.
  3. For larger dogs, a watch and wait approach is acceptable. If a dog is known to have eaten a sachet of silica gel, feeding it a high fibre diet may hasten elimination of the product. If any clinical signs develop or you suspect there could be a bowel obstruction, contact your veterinarian.

OTHER NAMES

Silica gel.

TOXICITY

Not toxic but can be harmful.

CLINICAL SIGNS

In the event of a gastrointestinal obstruction, signs are likely to appear within hours to days of ingestion.

  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Inappetence

EFFECTS OF TOXICITY

Silica gel is not thought to be toxic, but it can cause an obstruction if ingested by a small dog.

REFERENCES

BSAVA (2012) BSAVA/VPIS Guide to Common Canine and Feline Poisons. Gloucester: BSAVA.