top of page

This page focuses on urgent assessment. Routine wellness exams, preventive care, and monitoring of stable conditions are provided through scheduled general wellness appointments.

Stomach or Intestine Obstruction in Dogs and Cats | GI Blockage Signs & Urgent Care

Stomach or intestinal obstruction in dogs and cats can range from subtle, intermittent digestive upset to rapidly life-threatening illness, depending on whether the blockage is partial or complete, where it is located, and what caused it.

This condition is also commonly searched as bowel obstruction, intestinal blockage, foreign body obstruction, stomach blockage, or blocked intestines in pets.

Definition

A stomach or intestinal obstruction is a clinical sign, not a diagnosis, where food, fluid, or gas cannot pass normally through the digestive tract.


Obstructions may be partial or complete and may involve the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine.


Common causes include swallowed objects (such as plastic, fabric, or toys), hairballs (especially in cats), food masses, tumors, or twisting of the intestines.


When the digestive tract is blocked, pressure builds, blood flow can be compromised, bacteria can migrate, and surrounding organs such as the pancreas may become inflamed.


Across urgent-care settings worldwide, intestinal obstruction is a frequent reason for same-day veterinary assessment because outward signs often underestimate internal severity.

Abdominal radiograph showing intestinal obstruction in a dog and linear foreign body in a cat, with evidence of gas pattern and intestinal bunching.

Who This Page Is For

  • Dogs or cats with repeated vomiting or vomiting that does not fully resolve

  • Pets refusing food or unable to keep food down

  • Animals with a swollen, painful, or tense abdomen

  • Pets straining, producing little stool, or passing abnormal stool

  • Dogs known to chew or swallow non-food objects

  • Cats with a history of hairballs and sudden appetite changes

Who This Page Is Not For

  • Pets who vomited once after overeating and returned completely to normal within a few hours

If you are unsure whether this is significant, that uncertainty itself warrants veterinary assessment.

Related Urgent Symptoms

  • Dog Vomiting – Causes, When to Worry, What to Do

  • Dog or Cat Vomiting and Diarrhea at the Same Time

  • Cat Not Eating – Is This an Emergency?

  • Dog Not Eating – When to Worry and What to Do

  • Swollen or Bloated Belly in Cats

  • Dog Bloated Stomach or Swollen Belly (Bloat Concerns)

  • Dog or Cat Suddenly Weak, Lethargic, or Collapsing

What This Can Look Like at Home

Obstruction does not always look dramatic at first.

Owners may notice:

  • Vomiting that comes and goes

  • Gagging or retching without producing food

  • Refusing meals or eating less than normal

  • Abdominal discomfort, restlessness, or guarding

  • Small amounts of stool or no stool at all

  • A pet that seems “off” but not overtly sick

Why This Can Be Hard to Judge

Early obstruction often creates misleading signs.

Partial blockages may allow some food or liquid to pass, creating cycles of vomiting followed by apparent improvement.

Objects made of plastic, fabric, or hair may not be visible on standard X-rays, giving a false sense of reassurance.

Pain and inflammation can wax and wane as the intestine spasms around the blockage.

Cats, in particular, may hide discomfort and show only reduced appetite or quiet behavior.

The Improvement Trap

Temporary improvement does not equal resolution.

With partial obstructions, vomiting may stop briefly once the stomach empties, even though the blockage remains.

Pets may eat a small amount, appear better for a day, then worsen again.

As time passes, swelling, infection, or intestinal damage can progress silently.

What Is Easy to Miss at Home

  • Subtle dehydration despite drinking water

  • Gradual abdominal enlargement

  • Pain only when picked up or touched

  • Decreased grooming in cats

  • Quiet behavior mistaken for resting

  • Weight loss over days rather than hours

These quieter signs often reflect significant internal disease rather than mild upset.

When This Can Be an Emergency

Urgent veterinary assessment is especially important if any of the following are present:

  • Repeated vomiting or inability to keep food or water down

  • Abdominal swelling or visible discomfort

  • Lethargy that is worsening or persistent

  • No stool production for 24 hours or more

  • Vomiting with blood or dark material

  • Known ingestion of toys, plastic, fabric, bones, or foreign objects

  • Collapse, weakness, or pale gums

  • Signs of pain when the abdomen is touched

How Veterinarians Assess This

Symptoms can appear similar while representing very different internal disease processes. Diagnostic testing is how veterinarians determine whether a condition is mild and self-limiting or serious and potentially life-threatening, and how they guide appropriate care.

Diagnostic testing may include:

  • Abdominal X-rays – to assess gas patterns, intestinal size, and obvious obstructions

  • Abdominal ultrasound – to evaluate intestinal movement, soft-tissue foreign material, and surrounding organs

  • Bloodwork – to assess dehydration, infection, electrolyte imbalance, and organ stress

  • Electrolyte testing – to identify abnormalities caused by vomiting or obstruction

  • Contrast radiographs – to track movement through the intestines when standard imaging is inconclusive

  • Pancreatic testing – to evaluate inflammation secondary to obstruction

  • Urinalysis – to assess hydration and systemic effects

Additional disease-specific testing (such as repeat imaging, gastrointestinal contrast studies, or inflammatory markers) may be considered based on the overall clinical picture.


Diagnostic testing is what determines severity and guides appropriate care.

Veterinary Differentials - Serious / Must-Rule-Out First

• Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)

A twisted, gas-filled stomach that can rapidly become fatal in dogs.

Tests may include: abdominal radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, lactate, blood pressure, CBC.


• Intestinal volvulus or torsion

Twisting of intestinal loops leading to sudden blood flow loss and necrosis.

Tests may include: abdominal radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, chemistry panel, lactate.


• Linear foreign body (especially cats)

String-like material causing internal bunching and perforation of the intestines.

Tests may include: radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, contrast study, CBC.


• Septic peritonitis

Infection of the abdominal cavity, often due to ruptured intestines or leakage.

Tests may include: abdominal ultrasound, peritoneal fluid analysis, CBC, lactate.


• Intussusception

One section of bowel slides into another, cutting off circulation.

Tests may include: abdominal ultrasound, contrast radiography, CBC, chemistry panel.


• Intestinal neoplasia (cancer)

Tumors causing obstruction or narrowing, especially in older pets.

Tests may include: abdominal ultrasound, radiographs, biopsy, cytology, CBC.

Veterinary Differentials - Common / More Typical

• Foreign body obstruction

Ingestion of a non-digestible item blocking GI transit.

Tests may include: abdominal radiographs, ultrasound, chemistry panel, CBC.


• Pyloric outflow obstruction

Narrowing at the stomach exit due to scarring, inflammation, or tumor.

Tests may include: contrast radiographs, ultrasound, chemistry panel.


• Hairball impaction (cats)

Large or matted hair accumulation causing blockage or stasis.

Tests may include: abdominal radiographs, ultrasound, fecal testing.


• Gastroenteritis with ileus

Severe GI inflammation causing temporary motility shutdown.

Tests may include: CBC, chemistry panel, abdominal ultrasound, fecal panel.


• Food bloat

Excessive ingested material stretching the stomach and slowing digestion.

Tests may include: abdominal radiographs, ultrasound, physical monitoring.

Safety, Psychology, & Peace of Mind

Waiting can be risky, even when signs seem mild. Many GI obstructions present with symptoms that come and go — or appear deceptively mild. But during that time, pressure can build, blood flow can be lost, and rupture becomes a real possibility.


Same-day veterinary assessment offers clarity, protects options, and helps prevent complications. Diagnostic imaging can quickly reveal whether your pet is facing a mild issue or something that needs urgent intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this an emergency if my pet is still acting mostly normal?

Yes — intestinal obstructions can be dangerously misleading. Pets may still eat, vomit, or poop while partially obstructed. Even mild signs can represent a serious internal problem. “Acting fine” does not rule out surgical disease.

Could it pass on its own if my pet seems to be improving?

Possibly, but this can be a trap. Some pets seem better temporarily as the object moves, only to worsen again — especially with string or partial obstructions. True resolution vs cycling can only be determined by imaging and monitoring.

Why are X-rays not always enough to confirm this?

Some obstructions (fabric, plastic, hairballs, string) don’t show up on X-rays. Soft-tissue objects may blend in, and linear items may only show subtle changes in intestinal shape. Contrast radiographs or ultrasound often provide the needed clarity.

Do we really need testing if I know what they swallowed?

Yes. Knowing what was swallowed does not confirm where it is, how it’s affecting the GI tract, or if it’s passed. Only imaging and bloodwork can determine the severity and guide treatment safely.

What should I do right now? Can it wait overnight?

Delaying can be dangerous. If your pet is vomiting, lethargic, bloated, straining, or showing signs of pain, they should be seen the same day. Waiting may reduce treatment options or increase surgical risk.

bottom of page