Everyday Hazards You Need To Be Aware Of

This time of year it's common for education groups like CFL to distribute warnings reminding everyone to be careful about holiday hazards. We warn pet owners about the dangers of tinsel and chocolate and a host of other holiday-related items. But something happened recently that made me think we ought to remind everyone of the day to day hazards our pets face. Aspirin for one. Rubber bands. Chocolate. String. Even some toys can be hazardous if a pet if you leave your pet to play unsupervised.

Cats are particularly at risk of swallowing foreign bodies because of their natural curiosity and the unique construction of their tongues. Did you know a cat's tongue is covered with tiny hook-like barbs called papillae? These barbs are placed on the tongue pointing backwards - much like the traffic spikes in parking garages that prevent you from entering through the exit or exiting through the entrance. In the wild, cats used their prickly tongues to remove feathers or fur from their prey and to lick meat from the bones. Once something enters a cat's mouth it doesn't easily come out (that's why cats get hairballs). Our local emergency animal hospital actually has a framed display of some to the things they've pulled out of cats over the years - it includes everything from twist ties to fishing lures to necklaces and much more.

They may soon be adding pony tail holders. Jake, one of our adventurous tabby cats had emergency surgery last week to remove a dozen pony tail holders from his stomach. I knew he'd been fascinated with the little elastic bands since he first found them in my vanity drawer. He'd sit on the vanity counter and fish them out onto the floor, then pick them up and carry them to his food bowl and drop them in. He never tried to eat them - he just carried them to the bowl and then ate his crunchies. But in the back of my mind I always worried that he'd decide one day to do more than just carry them around. So I decided to put them in the very back of the vanity drawer where I knew he could not reach. As it turns out though, Jake was much more determined than I'd ever imagined. He found a small gap between the back of the drawer and the back of the vanity and by reaching up from underneath the vanity he was able to get a paw into the drawer from the backside and fish around until he found what he wanted. And that's how he was able to get hold of a whole package of pony tail holders. Why he ate them and why so many I don't know. But I'd speculate that he tried carrying one and got it stuck on his tongue. They were still in the package and would have been attached to each other somehow. Gives a whole new meaning to "bet you can't eat just one" doesn't it?


So poor Jake had major surgery. He's home now and doing well. He has a 6" long incision, antibiotics, antacids, pain meds, and special food he has to eat for at least two weeks. But he's alive and happy and we're thrilled. And thankful for the real hero in this - our wonderful vet Dr. Tony Lopez at Cornerstone Animal Clinic.


And before you hit the COMMENT button to tell me that we have the soft recovery collar on upside down - we know. But it is enough to keep him from being able to reach his stitches and it is more comfortable for him. And we've convinced him he's now a Super Hero and this is his Super Hero Cape. No need to tell him otherwise.