Did you know that a simple paper shredder can be very dangerous to your pet(s) or child? A curious dog trots over to the paper shredder to check it out and all of a sudden as your pet is licking the top of the shredder (dogs lick to get the scent) the dog's tongue is pulled into the shredder. There are documented articles on pet owners facing this particular medical emergency issue.
If you find your pet's tongue in a shredder:
- Unplug it immediately
- Try to get the tongue out, but only if it doesn't do more damage
- Transport to vet (along with the top of the shredder if need be) immediately
Dogs have bitten off their tongues trying to free themselves, which of course makes it even more dire of a medical emergency. Yes, dogs have learned to adapt without a tongue to eat and drink, but why should they.....if the shredder was unplugged or turned off in the first place, there would be no medical emergency that a pet owner would have to face.
Pet owners have to think of their home as they would with a baby/toddler in the house. In my home, I have to "Willa-Proof" everything...nothing on counters.....all appliances turned off, etc., because I have a dog that gets bored so easily.
So, at this moment, walk over to your paper shredder and turn it off or more importantly unplug it. After all, a dog can accidentally turn it back on with his/her nose.
I wouldn't wish this type of medical nightmare on any animal or child.
There are documented cases where the dog, whose tongue was stuck inside the shredder, actually bit off the tongue to free itself. This, of course, creates more medical issues such as eating and drinking. Again, it's always safer to turn the dang thing off.
ReplyDeleteMost people who work at a home office use paper shredders to destroy critical documents and keep it private. And pets, even with your supervision, will not realize that shredders are a harmful thing to play with. This is why it’s important to keep it out of their reach when it’s not in use.
ReplyDeleteRuby Badcoe