Hi Joanne!

Sorry for the delay in response - I was called away to an emergency.

I suspect that only one dog ate the turtle. Generally, in situations where there is more than one dog who had access, it is just the dominant animal who gets into trouble. Dogs don't share! So, if you know which dog is dominant keep a close eye on that pup.

It is hard to know how much problem this may cause as we cannot know whether the dog(s) swallowed large pieces of the turtle, or whether they chewed it into smaller pieces.

At the very least, I would expect the Lab to have gastroenteritis from eating the turtle. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines and can be caused by a large number of things, including sudden dietary changes. The symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Most dogs with gastroenteritis remain in good spirits and have lots of energy.

The turtle could have been carrying Salmonella bacteria which can cause food poisoning. The symptoms are abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. It is treatable with supportive care and sometimes with antibiotics.

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/salmonellosis-in-dogs/page1.aspx

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1515

A third concern for your pup(s) is that the turtle may get wedged in the stomach or small intestines if the dog swallowed a large piece whole and thus become a Gastrointestinal Foreign Body. Dogs eat the strangest things - plastic bags, children's toys, bones, bits of towel, socks, rocks and other things. Often, these foreign bodies pass through the intestinal tract, but sometimes they do not. They may get caught in the stomach or the small intestines.

The symptoms of a GI foreign body are generally vomiting, loss of appetite, depression and dehydration. In the case of an obstruction, surgery is often needed to remove the foreign object. I will include further information about GI foreign bodies:

http://www.michvet.com/library/surgery_gi_foreign_body.asp

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/gastrointestinal-foreign-body-in-dogs/page1.aspx

If I examined your pup and was concerned about a foreign body, I would probably recommend x-rays to see if a foreign object were visible. A turtle shell should show up on x-rays. Then a determination can be made about how best to get this out of the dog, or whether it might move through on its own.

I would also suggest you look VERY carefully for the turtle as it may have managed to get away from the dogs. They can move very quickly when they need to! If the dogs are spending a lot of time sniffing under the couch, you may find that the turtle is hiding there! Look around carefully!

If either of your dogs seems lethargic, loses their appetite or vomits repeatedly, I would urge you to take him or her to see your family veterinarian to determine if the turtle has caused an intestinal blockage (though I will keep my fingers crossed that you find him somewhere under a couch!).

If this has been helpful, please accept my answer and leave feedback. If you need more information just click on reply!

Best wishes, Fiona