From January 1998 to January 2003, the ASPCA Animal
Poison Control Center (APCC) received 44 calls regarding paintball ingestion
by dogs that subsequently developed clinical signs.
In some cases, the dogs may have ingested as many
as 500 paintballs at one time. Paintball ingredients vary depending on
the manufacturer...
In dogs, the most common clinical signs reported
to the ASPCA APCC were vomiting (with or without paint) ataxia, diarrhea,
and tremors. These signs occurred as early as one hour after ingestion.
In two cases, the dogs were euthanized because their
central nervous system signs were unresponsive to treatment; no other deaths
were reported.
The exact number of ingested paintballs required
to cause clinical signs is unknown. In one case, a 90-lb (41-kg) Labrador
retriever showed clinical signs after ingesting 15 paintballs.
If you believe that your dog is a victim of Paintball Poisoning, please refer to - or direct your veterinarian to the following website: http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/toxbrief1203.pdf?docID=1521
Thank you,
Wayne and Jackie Dollack