One of A Kind Education

Recently, our veterinarians have treated many animals who have been negatively affected by the elastic bands used for ponytails, also known as hair ties. If there are any humans in your home that use these or have them lying around, this warning is for you. Hair ties can be a danger to pets and you must take the proper precautions to ensure that your furry friends do not get ahold of them.

Eating Them
Both dogs and cats find entertainment in playing with these springy little bands. It is fun to see them flip and fly around the room. As most pets do, they will chew on them and frequently ingest them. Their bodies cannot digest these items and they wreak havoc on their gastrointestinal systems. One of two things will always happen once ingested. Either the pet will pass them out in the stool, or the objects will become blocked in the digestive system. Should this occur, surgery is required to remove the foreign body. Hopefully, the veterinarian can catch it soon enough before sepsis sets in. Sadly, many cases lead to death if the organs and inner tissue has been affected by the infection. If you notice changes in your pets behavior such as loss of appetite, lethargy, constipation, vomiting, and crying, please seek medical attention quickly.

Bodily Harm
In other cases, cats and dogs have been found with the elastic hair ties tied around various parts of the body such as ears, legs, and tail. This can also lead to very serious infection. In many cases, the legs, feet, or tail will require amputation due to the dying tissue. Once the tissue is depleted of blood flow for an extended period, it will begin to die and cannot be overturned. To prevent sepsis, the extremity will have to be removed.

For the safety of all pets, please keep these items secured in a container or cabinet. Pets have even been mischievous enough to pull them out of boxes, baskets, and open containers sitting on counters. We want all pets to remain safe and healthy, living to be a ripe, old age. If you would like to donate towards the extraordinary medical care of pets arriving at our rescue, please feel free to do so, and know that we are all eternally grateful.