Greener Diet: Can Dogs Digest Money?

It happens more often than people think; a dog gobbling down a few cash notes off the counter like it’s nothing. While parents ought to be careful about what their dog eats, as many foods are toxic to dogs, money isn’t one of them.

Paper money, in particular, won’t do much harm, but that doesn’t mean it should fall into their diets.

Paper notes carry an incredible amount of germs and bacteria on them, but nine times out of ten, when a dog eats them it passes through them without causing any infections. In most cases, the cash is somewhat intact and as long as the serial number and at least half of the bill are intact, the money can be refunded.

If a dog swallows coins then things get a little dicey. Some coins pass as easily as paper money, however, some zinc coins can cause zinc poisoning.

Zinc poisoning from coins begins in the stomach when the acid breaks down the zinc, causing an upset stomach. Thereafter, the zinc is absorbed into the bloodstream. Zinc poisoning can lead to liver damage, kidney and heart failure, and the destruction of red blood cells.

Symptoms of Zinc poisoning include:

• Anemia
• Instability
• Increased breathing
• Increased heart rate
• Discolored urine
• Jaundiced gums
• Lack of appetite
• Seizures

If a dog is suspected of having zinc poisoning, they must see a veterinarian immediately. It is important that the coin is not fully absorbed. To prevent this, vomiting is induced or an endoscope is used to retrieve the coin.