The unsavory world of unsnackable snacks

When the strange things that pets eat bite back

Some pets can be extremely food-motivated, but their dining selections aren’t always tummy-friendly—flower bouquets and a bug buffet for example. Sometimes our pets' snack choices aren't even edible, but these items end up in their bellies anyway!

Foreign body ingestions are serious situations that can lead to related health conditions such as vomiting, diarrhea and a painful tummy. If your pet ingests something they shouldn’t, it’s important to consult a veterinarian to determine the best route for moving the object out of the gastrointestinal tract. But once it’s out, you may be asking your pet: Why would you eat that?!

It's something our claims team also asks when reviewing submissions for eligible veterinary care reimbursements, making foreign body ingestion one of the most common Hambone Award nominations. Here are some of oddest ingestions we’ve seen.

Dressed up with nowhere to go

Some pets like to sneak off with their pet parent’s clothing and hide the stolen items in their bed for later snuffling. Others may get too excited by what they’ve grabbed and try to swallow it instead.

Socks are a common disappearing garment, but sometimes it’s not the dryer that eats that missing match—it’s the sock-eating dog in this Hambone classic tale. Then, there’s another surprising misunderstanding about undergarments that occurred when a Brittany spaniel snacked on the gel inserts from his mom’s bra. Or the tale of a Lab pup who jumped in with both legs—by eating both legs off his mom’s pajama pants.

Wicked games

Human toys sometimes get mistaken for pet toys by dogs and cats, too. That doesn’t always work out for the player when the game gets out of hand—or goes down the hatch, as happened to numerous Hambone nominees who swallowed game pieces.

Take for example one kitty who thought he hit a snack time bullseye when he chomped down on a Nerf dart. Or a unlucky Labrador who swallowed a golf ball.

Maybe the most puzzling of all Hambone gamers is a mixed-breed pup who received a nod for eating about 250 pieces from a jigsaw puzzle.

Junk drawer delicacies

When something goes missing, the first place to look is that one drawer where everything ends up: The junk drawer.

A peek inside the Hambone junk drawer reveals all the knickknacks and bric-a-brac our nominees have swallowed over the years.

There’s a Siamese cat who swallowed a sewing needle. Or another kitty who got all wrapped up inside by eating 37 inches packing tape. Or the English bulldog who housed not one, not two, but fifteen baby pacifiers.

All of these pets—from the sock swiper to the pacifier pilferer—received the care they needed for their surprising situations, and Nationwide reimbursed their eligible veterinary bills.

Support when snacking turns scary

Sometimes a surprising snack will warrant asking an expert for advice. When you have questions about strange symptoms or unusual ingestions, the 24/7 Nationwide VetHelpline® is always available to guide you through next steps.*

Access to this telehealth service is included with every Nationwide pet insurance policy. Members can download the app for free from the App Store or Google Play and schedule a consultation with a licensed veterinary professional at no added cost.

If your pet needs to visit the veterinarian for an unsavory snacking situation, pet insurance coverage from Nationwide offers reimbursement for eligible veterinary expenses. To learn more about pet insurance and customize a plan for your pet, visit petinsurance.com.

*Except where prohibited by state law. VetHelpline is not a substitute for a visit to your primary veterinarian.