Videos of dogs with bags around their heads are popular on social media — a shame because a dog with his head stuck in a bag is scared. Worse, he’s in grave danger. A pet can suffocate in less than 5 minutes when his head becomes lodged in a bag. Figures for how often that happens are lacking, but the Food and Drug Administration says that “although this may seem like an odd scenario, it plays out more commonly than you realize.”
It makes sense. You step away — from a bag of potato chips, a cereal bag that you took out of the box, a storage bag with leftovers — and your dog makes his way in so he can get at the tasty food. All of those bags are made from different types of plastic, which are sometimes layered. And a dog may panic when he can’t figure out how to remove his head.
That, in turn, could make him start breathing faster, causing the bag to collapse and shrink-wrap itself around his nose and mouth, the FDA points out. The suction effect can be so strong that he can’t paw the bag off. It becomes a vicious cycle because the faster he breathes and the more he paws at the bag, the tighter it becomes around his head.
Preventing disaster
Remember, dogs are opportunists. The potato chip fragments at the bottom of a bag or the Cheerio crumbs that hold no interest for you may be very enticing to your pet. That’s why it’s important to throw out any snack, cereal, or other plastic bag when you are done with it rather than leave it on the counter or coffee table and then walk out of the room. For extra safety, the FDA recommends cutting open the sides of the bag or cutting the whole thing into pieces before tossing. That way, if your dog manages to make it into the trash, he won’t be in harm’s way.
If you’re not done with the food and are going to hold onto the bag, put it in a closed cupboard or pantry that your dog can’t open once you’re done pouring out the item. And if you have young children in the house, keep an eye on them when you give them a bag of chips or other item to snack on. Little kids are not neatniks and may drop a bag onto the floor, where your pet can easily reach it.
Finally, be especially careful if your dog accompanies you on a picnic or if you throw a party. There may very well be open plastic bags with food present, and things can get hectic and take your attention off your pet and his safety.
