Knutsford Vets speak out about unlikely hazard
If your dog chews on the junk mail and fast food menus that pour through your letterbox, they could end up biting off more than they bargained for. That’s the message from your team here at Knutsford Vets following a number of social media posts emerging featuring dogs with their mouths glued shut.
Dr Paul Adams, lead vet here at Knutsford Veterinary Surgery, was part of an article in The Sun Online this weekend warning pet owners about this unlikely hazard. Here’s some more information on how you can protect your dog.
Why is junk mail dangerous for dogs?
Junk mail with glossy paper can potentially be dangerous if your dog chews through the paper and the mixture is left in their mouth to dry. The paint on the paper mixes with saliva to create a glue like compound. In effect this paper-mache’s your dog’s teeth together. If the compound is removed in the incorrect way you can cause more damage to your dog so care should be taken.
What should I do if this happens to my dog?
DO NOT TRY TO FORCE YOUR DOG’S MOUTH OPEN. If your dog’s mouth is glued shut you can try to separate the jaws by gently brushing the teeth to dislodge the concretions. If this fails then you should contact the veterinary surgery immediately.
On more than one occasion we have needed to sedate the dog and use surgical instruments to carefully dislodge the concretions with measured force. If you try to apply force yourself you may fracture your dog’s jaw, causing them pain and lasting damage.
What happens if I leave my dog as it is?
If you leave your dog with their mouth glued shut then they may cause themselves harm as they begin to panic. This could include pawing their mouth and potentially cutting their face or damaging their teeth.
Is the coating of leaflets poisonous?
Although the risk from these leaflets is certainly real, there is nothing toxic in the coating. According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service people do not need to be concerned on this front.
If your dog has eaten any leaflets or paper that has left their jaw glued shut, contact our emergency veterinary team immediately on 01565337999.
