A dog ate a paper face mask and required ‘life-saving surgery,’ Animal Rescue League says
The ARL urges people to toss PPE into a covered trash can to avoid potentially deadly consequences for pets.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston is warning people to properly dispose of personal protective equipment after a dog recently ate paper masks.The PPE-eating pooch named Gibbs required life-saving surgery, according to the organization.While Gibbs is now recovering from his ordeal, albeit while wearing a bright blue cone around his head, the ARL notes that PPE can smell like food to dogs or wildlife, and they may eat it.“These items can cause massive stomach upset or intestinal blockages, and the metal nose wire in masks may cause a variety of health issues, including stomach and esophageal tears, as well as sepsis, which may prove fatal if not treated,” the ARL said in a press release.Symptoms that a dog may have eaten something they’re not supposed to include diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, inability to defecate or straining, tenderness or pain in the abdomen, and lack of appetite. An owner may notice a sudden change in the dog’s behavior, according to the organization.The ARL urges people to toss PPE into a covered trash can.“We are all in this together, and it’s up to all of us to protect our pets and wildlife and to keep Massachusetts beautiful!” the ARL said.
Gibbs’s X-ray showing the mask he ingested.
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