I’d like to share some important dangers that some pet owners don’t realize are dangers, that is until it is too late.
- Chip Bags.One danger that most pet owners don’t realize until it is too late is the dangers of bags. Some pets, especially dogs, will put their heads inside of chip bags, cereal bags, bags that held meat. What can happen is once they put their head in the bag, a seal (almost like a vacuum) can occur around the neck. As the pet breathes, the bag tightens more that leads to tightening around the neck and eventually suffocation. This can occur very quickly, over a few minutes. To prevent these types of injuries, you can cut all empty bags along their sides and/or dispose of empty bags in sealed trashcans.
- Car and Truck Windows.Many dogs LOVE to stick their heads out windows of cars. This can be dangerous for a few reasons. Over the years I’ve seen several injuries to the eyes of dogs from things blowing into a dogs eyes. Another danger from open windows is that dogs can actually jump from windows. I’ve seen this happen dozens of times over the years. This seems to happen most often to older dogs that have never jumped out the window giving their owners a false sense of security. Then one day – a dog jumps out. Injuries I’ve seen have been anything from minor abrasions, broken legs, severe wounds to death. NEVER assume your dog won’t jump. Keep your dog secured in a safe dog seatbelt. Similar dangers occur when dogs ride in the back of trucks. Dogs love this but any accident that truck is in causes the dog to be thrown. Even sudden braking can be deadly.
- Candles.Candles are wonderful but often pose dangers around pets. A flick of a tail on a candle lit coffee table or even cats getting up on counters can knock over candles causing burns or even house fires. Please be very careful with lit candles with the best policy being to never leave a candle unattended. There are some great safe flameless alternative to candles such as the LED Luminara candle. These look incredibly realistic.
We hope these tips help you keep your pet, you and your family safe.
