Pet Suffocation Awareness

Even though National Pet Suffocation Awareness Week isn’t until November 25^th, I wanted to create a blog post to educate others of not only the dangers, but how easy it is for a pet to suffocate.  Just recently in the news, a dog suffocated after getting his head trapped in a snack bag.

The owners stated that after returning from work.  They were surprised that their dog did not greet him at the door as usual.  Sadly, the owner found his dog dead, with his head inside an empty chip bag. It appeared that the dog had gotten the bag off a counter, and, while devouring its contents, the bag became sealed over his head and suffocated him.  How horrific that could have been, I can’t even imagine!  This sounds so unbelievable, but when I researched suffocation it seemed that this was more common than I thought.

Below are some sad statistics.

-Many people whose dogs have suffocated in these types of bags were only gone from the house for 20-30 minutes!

-At least 2-3 pets are lost each week in the U.S. to chip and other snack bag suffocation – and these are just the ones that get reported!

-It can take as little as 3-5 minutes for a pet to die from suffocation in these types of bags!

Another dog owner, who lost their dog too has created an online petition.   If you are interested, feel free to click on the link and sign it.

Below are other items that can cause your pet to suffocate as well.

Collars.  Believe it or not collars have been known to suffocate pets.  The collar for whatever reason will get stuck, and the dog will panic, the collar will tighten around their neck due to the twisting and pulling.  I have never been a fan of collars and Ginger does not wear one.  She is micro-chipped and the only time I attach her tags are to her harness when I walk her.  But while inside the house she does not wear one.

If you rather your dog wear a collar, they sell collar’s with buckles that releases when pressure is applied, preventing strangulation or injury. One of those collars is the Petsafe KeepSafe Break-Away Collar.

Same as snack bags, garbage bags can pose the same risk.   If you have a dog that likes to get into the trash can, please make sure that you put a secure lid on it, or place it inside a cabinet.  I have a trashcan with a foot pedal so that its lid is closed at all times.  Also make sure that the handles of the bags are not sticking out the side of the trash can.

Confined spaces.  Now many people think that this can occur but dogs can absolutely get stuck in tight spaces.  Just last year a dog was rescued after getting stuck in six-inch gap between wall and conservatory when it was spooked by fireworks.  Also, children are not the only ones known to get stuck in places like old refrigerators, and clothes dryers. Pets can too!

Please, when it comes to your pet be extra careful and feel free to share this information with other pet owners to make them aware of this common danger.

For more information, click on this link.  You can even download a free copy of the “Journey of the Chip Bag” poster.