Vet warns of common household item that can kill your dog in minutes
Be careful not to leave this everyday item within your dog's reach.
A vet who goes by @bitesizedvetguides on Tiktok has issued a warning to pet owners about the dangers of plastic bags.?
In an informative TikTok video, the vet alerted dog owners that plastic food bags, including bags of chips, can be a suffocation hazard.?
Watch the clip above?
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The vet explained the "devastating" reality of dogs suffocating from getting their heads caught in unattended food bags.?
"This is a conversation none of us ever want to have, but sadly it occurs in the blink of an eye," they wrote in the video caption.?
"You are distracted. You leave the room for a few minutes. That's all it takes."
The vet also urged viewers to never leave food unattended, but stressed "especially not bagged food", as dogs will more likely be drawn to the food.
In the clip, the vet said the breed and size of the dog does not make a difference in the slightest, but rather all dogs are equally at risk.?
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They explained it only takes "minutes" for the dog to suffocate from the plastic bag getting stuck and consequently constricting the animal's airways.?
To prevent this tragedy from happening to your four-legged friend, the vet recommended a simple hack.?
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"Before you throw away that empty bag, take a pair of scissors to it and split it," they suggested.?
By splitting the bag down the middle, this ensures your dog will be able to remove the bag from their head if you're not around to help.?
The vet also noted this is a good practice to prevent health risks to not just your pet, but potentially to "any wildlife if they come across it later" in the trash.?
The video gathered comments from concerned dog owners sharing their own harrowing experiences with plastic bags.?
"I wish I knew about this before because my grandmothers dog used to go in the dog food bag because she was so tiny," one person commented.?
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The vet responded to the comment by revealing that dog food bags are still dangerous, but surprisingly "are less likely to collapse around a pet's head".?
Another comment shared this was the "1st time I've heard about the tip about splitting the bag".?
But plastic bags aren't the only hazard to dogs around the home that you should be aware of.?
Dogs get up to all sorts of mischief when they're left unattended.?
9Honey shared Dr Helen Palm from Adelaide Animal Emergency and Referall Centre's warning about the dangers of leaving household items lying around for your dog to swallow.?
Dr Palm shared that the biggest concern when dogs swallow objects is the potential risk of bowel obstruction.?
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The vet warned owners to not be complacent about leaving things in reach of your dog, revealing dogs commonly take things from the compost bin that can actually be harmful to swallow.?
One of these bizarre "foreign objects" Dr Palm warns about is corn cobs.?
"Corn is round and almost acts like a plug," the vet told 9Honey. "If eaten, it doesn't move, it gets stuck very quickly and can cause a really severe bowel obstruction".?
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