My Dog Ate a Lead Pencil. Is it Toxic to Dogs?

Sir Pooch, like other pooches, will eat just about anything he can reach, whether or not it's toxic to dogs. Meaning nothing can ever be left close to the edge of the counter, table, sink, high boy, low boy or coffee table. The scary episode in which Sir Pooch ate an entire Jumbo Hershey bar, in an amount thankfully not toxic to dogs, is recounted in this story about dogs and chocolate . But this week, I returned home to find him gnawing on a wooden pencil, leaving little shards of wood around. "You're eating a pencil!" I yelled. He did not even look up from his snack. "Haven't you ever heard of lead poisoning?" I yelled some more. "Crunch, crunch," he said.

Search "My dog ate a pencil. Is it toxic to dogs?"

Happily, any panic on my part was completely unnecessary. I found that out by googling "My dog ate a pencil. Is it toxic to dogs?" There were tons of posts on Yahoo!Answers in which I read over and over, "There is no lead in a pencil. " "Pencils are made of graphite not lead. Graphite is not toxic to dogs." "Better you should worry he chokes on the wood splinters."

Call the vet anyway.

As my usual composure returned, I did think to call and verify this with Dr. Greg the emergency veterinarian, who said, "Basically, your dog had a snack of wood, carbon and non-toxic paint. Certainly no more harmful than chewing on the leg of your dining room table." My dining room table is wicker, but I get the point.

Dogs 101: Your dog won't get lead poisoning if he eats a pencil.

I went on to ask the good Indianapolis veterinarian, Dr. Greg Magnusson of Leo's Pet Care, why we always talk about lead pencils if they're graphite pencils. He told me that lead was used to make marks during the Middle Ages; hence medieval dogs were in much more danger of getting lead poisoning than our dogs are now. Today our pencils are actually made of graphite and clay. Graphite, a form of carbon, was once called "plumbago," from a Latin word meaning "it acts like lead." Then the plumbago pencils are wrapped in wood (probably cedar) and painted. Non-toxic paint, of course. So truly, pencils are not toxic to dogs, but they can still choke on them.

Dogs 101: A pencil diet for dogs is still not the best idea.

Other than the choking problem, you may be thinking that pencils are a good source of roughage for your dog, but consider a more balanced diet from a trusted pet food manufacturer. Your vet can recommend a healthy diet. Or if not, ask Dr. Greg.

Yahoo! Answers: My dog just ate pencil lead

The Unleaded Pencil

Dr. Greg Magnusson, Leo's Pet Care,
10598 N College Ave Ste 200
Indianapolis IN 46280
317-721-7387
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