According to an article posted in the Vet Times this month, vets are seeing an increasing number of dogs requiring treatment for ingesting discarded face masks and other items of PPE. The latest affected dog is three-year-old cockerpoo Patch, who needed a mask removing through endoscopy.
The article includes a great video of the endoscopic removal in Patch (not for the faint-hearted).
Of course, the dangers of discarded PPE are not likely to subside any time soon, and Patch’s owner is appealing for people to dispose of their face masks and other PPE responsibly, out of the reach of dogs on a walk. The VPIS have seen a significant rise in calls regarding hand sanitisers and other cleaning products since the start of the pandemic, and these products remain a risk to pets as they are so available to them!
