Since we don’t have a paper shredder I’ve never really thought about the danger to dogs. This story will definitely serve as a cautionary tale to those who do.
Paper shredders, like other sharp objects, need to be kept out of your dog’s reach. Most importantly, make sure you never leave it on automatic.
The owners of a mixed breed dog named Diamond found that out the hard way last week, when their 8-year-old dog licked their’s, only to have her tongue pulled into the sharp blades.
“She had licked a paper shredder in the house that was set on automatic,” Dr. Marc Wosar, of Miami Veterinary Specialists, told TV station WPLG.
Fortunately, Diamond’s owners were home and responded quickly. They disconnected the head of the shredder, carefully taking it and the dog whose tongue it held to the animal hospital.
“We anesthetized her first, then reversed the shredder off the tongue and assessed the damage,” said Wosar. “There were a lot of lacerations to the tongue as well as a lot of bite wounds. In her panic, she’d also bitten her tongue.”
It took more than a 100 stitches to repair Diamond’s tongue. A portion that was too severely damaged had to be removed, but doctors expect her to make a full recovery.
“She just won’t have a perfectly round tongue. She’ll have a little nick in it,” said Wosar.
Is it just me, or does this give anyone else the willies? Luckily Diamond will be fine, and hopefully by the owners sharing their story it will prevent another accident like this from happening.
