Plastic Bags & Dogs: The True Dangers
Dogs are known to eat anything that grabs their attention. Think of all the times that they dug things out of the kitchen wastebasket or even the time when they tried to eat a dead bird out in the yard. Oddly enough, dogs have been known to eat plastic bags, mainly from curiosity rather than hunger. The first step to avoid this is prevention. However, this may be easier said than done at times.
Has your dog eaten a plastic bag? Please call the vet immediately! The vet may advise that you induce vomiting, but please do not do this without their approval. Unfortunately, a dog’s digestive system cannot digest plastic. There are very fatal health concerns in regard to dogs eating plastic bags, especially if the size of the bag is larger.
Look symptoms that your dog could be having:
- Gagging
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Lying in different position
These could be signs that your dog has the bag caught in his throat and/or he could have intestinal blockage. Once again, if you notice these symptoms, please call the vet immediately! Chances are, you will need to make a trip to the vet for a physical exam and/or x-rays. From the exam, the vet may determine that the bag will pass through your dog’s system safely. On the other hand, surgery may be required to remove the bag. After treatment, the vet may prescribe antibiotics to prevent an infection.
If treated early, your pup has an excellent chance of avoiding serious health issues after eating a plastic bag. Failure to prevent this from happening and/or waiting too long to address will result in fatal health concerns, which may result in death.
