Ate A Candle

[Guest SusanP]

Spinner just ate an orange candle originally destined for use in a jack o lantern. He spit out the little metal part from the bottom. How dangerous is the rest of it?

 

sigh

[Hubcitypam]

If it was a tea light or votive you shouldn't have a problem...I think lots of dogs on here have eaten candles and lived to tell the tale. Wicks on tapers seem to be the biggest issue, but if it was a little candle I wouldn't worry too much.

[Guest SusanP]

Oh dear--I can't remember if it was a taller ( 4") thin one or a votive. There were several sitting there of both sizes. I'm such a dope--I should have KNOWN he'd do this. I don't see a wick lying around....

[patricia]

Flashy ate a VERY large candle. He kept getting into the pinecombs on the fireplace hearth so I threw them away but left a huge pinecomb candle and I'll be darned if he didn't eat that! Called Dr. Beth and she told me to watch him...he did have some diarrhea the next day first morning but he was fine. He ate the wick too.

[Guest MrsDooLittle]

I don't have any words of wisdom but I just wanted to say I'm relieved to read it is not just my Mr. Green Jeans that eats

bizarre things!! I feel like I have an 85 pound toddler I have to watch because he seems to want to put everything in his mouth!

 

Cindy

[AndysMom]

I'm a chandler (candlemaker). My first question is whether it was a SCENTED candle. I think the fragrance oil would be far more dangerous than the wax or the dye. The wick could be an issue, but will probably pass naturally.

 

Lois

 

[Guest sweetpea]

We had an Irish Wolfhound when I was growing up who always got into our crayon bucket, made for very decorative poo, but she never seemed the worse for wear... but the scented oil question is a good point (no scented oils in our crayons!)

 

Buzzy

[Guest Greensleeves]

Susan, I don't think taller candles have those little metal bits from the bottom, so it was probably the tea light you thought it was.

[AndysMom]

A taper candle is long and thin, no metal "sustainer tab" on the bottom; has to be burned in a candle holder.

 

A tealight is about 3/4" tall and 1.5" across, in an aluminum or plastic container; might or might not have a sustainer tab; about 1 oz. of wax.

 

A votive is about 2" tall, chunky, no container but intended strictly for burning only in a tight-fitting container; think of it as a container refill; should have a sustainer tab; two or three oz. of wax; votives are NOT miniature pillars.

 

A pillar is a tall (2" or more), usually wide, freestanding candle meant to be burned without a container or holder (though I'd recommend a plate underneath to protect your furniture from melted wax); pillars usually have sustainer tabs, but not always, especially with imports; you need to "hug" pillars as they burn to prevent wax blow-outs where the pool of melted wax goes through the outer shell and pours onto the surface below.

 

HTH.

 

Lois

Edited October 29, 2007 by AndysMom

[fionasmom]

Been there; done that. No problem other than waxy poo.

[mimosasmom]

So if he eats a match now, is that an issue?

[MarcR]

Been there, done that too. Honey ate a white (long type) unscented candle. It passed without problems, but did make for some unusual desposits the next morning. I could sort of understand the first bite, but I've never figured out what possessed her to eat the whole thing.

Edited October 29, 2007 by MarcR