You might be surprised to know how many times we answer that call!
Dogs, and cats too, are attracted to hearing aids. It could be that they smell like you, they taste like ear wax – yummy to a dog, or the battery door wasn’t opened and that whistle just called them over to take a look. Then there is always- the aids were something new in a place your pet could reach – so they had to check it out with their mouth or bat it with their paw. The result is a mangled or lost hearing aid.
Common stories are, I just set it on the night stand to take a shower … and I was taking a nap on the couch, so I just laid them on the end table for a little bit. You come back or wake up to an empty spot and sickening feeling that your aids are gone!
Not only is your very valuable and much relied on aid missing, but your pet could be in danger. Swallowing a battery is very dangerous for pets or humans. The little disc batteries can cause damage to the mouth, throat, or stomach. They can also cause burns that are very painful and can lead to serious complications.
Know the signs:
- Increased drooling
- Refusal to eat or extremely slow chewing
- Bad breath
- Red and raw tongue (or whitish-gray from dead skin)
- Pained crying or unusually quiet behavior
If you know your pet has swallowed a battery DO NOT induce vomiting and call your vet immediately.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Some tips for protecting your hearing aids and your pets:
Have secure places to put your hearing aids when they are not in your ears.
Don’t forget to secure batteries as well.
A hard firmly shut case, inside a closed drawer or cupboard.
Take care when changing batteries to work over a surface that will catch them if they fall and not allow them to end up on the floor where your dog or cat will see them even when you can’t.
At Centers for Hearing Care, we love our pets. We know you do too! We love to hear about your pets when you come to see us and hope this will help you to never make “the dog ate my hearing aid” call.
This is a picture of my own pups! Buddy is on the left and Reese is on the right – comfortable as can be.
Sources:
https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/dogs-and-the-dangers-of-swallowing-batteries
https://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/04/April-Fools-Joke#.WljYO0S8AJ0.email
Deb Copeland
Patient Care Coordinator