What You Need To Know About Chip Bags And Pets

There Is A Hidden Danger For Montana Pets Lurking In Your Home

Did You Know A Chip Bag Can Suffocate Your Pet?

In February 2024, the Food and Drug Administration published an article on pet snack bag safety.

Pets can suffocate in less than 5 minutes with their head stuck in a bag. The scenario gets worse by the second as the pet starts breathing faster due to panic, and the bag will most times collapse and "shrink wrap" around their face causing suffocation.

From 2014 to 2018, 1354 pets died suffocating in a bag of people or dog treats.

READ More: The High Price Of Owning A Dog In Montana

The FDA describes that awful situation like this:

"Think of a party balloon--when you blow-up the balloon, the material expands and the balloon gets bigger. But, when you suck the air from the balloon, the balloon collapses and the material is held tightly together such that you can’t pull it apart. That suction effect is what happens to a pet’s head in a plastic bag."

If your pet has their head stuck in a bag, free them from the bag and call your veterinarian for steps to take next.

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What Can You Do To Protect Your Pet From This Awful Fate?

• Throw snack bags in the trash immediately when the bag is empty AFTER you cut the sides open on the bag or cut the bag into pieces
• Make it hard for your pet to get into the trash.  Make sure it has a lid or is in the cabinet
• Keep snacks in a closed cabinet that your pet can't open
• Picnics, parties and car food are very dangerous because food is in a place where it usually isn't.