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Location: Basingstoke, UK
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 351
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I'm not sure about the chewing gum (hopefully someone who knows more than me will come along soon and answer that one for you) however, you need to get this problem sorted a.s.a.p. Have you consulted a behaviourist about it?
I only say this cos my little boy ate two stones when he was 6 months old and had to have them removed from his stomach which was huge surgery for him and it took a long time for him to get over it, plus incredibly expensive. We were lucky, the dog who had a foreign body removed the day before him got peritonitis and ended up very very ill. Foreign body removal is a nightmare for the vets and the dog and really needs to be avoided.
Also, I think you said your dog eats twigs etc and those could perforate his tummy or intestines which is not good.
I'm not trying to scare you but I think you need to get a grip on this behaviour before it escalates to the stage where s/he gets an obstruction. Whilst you are consulting the vet/a behaviourist and working on the problem I would walk your dog with a basket muzzle on. This should, hopefully, stop him/her picking things up and allow you time to find out the reason for the behaviour and how to stop it.
Hope that helps, and I really don't mean to sound harsh or preachy, but having been through foreign body problems with Oscar (and he is still having digestive issues due to it 2 years on) I'd hate to see anyone else go there.
Take care
Ali