Back to School – Backpack Dangers

As the beloved companions of many students, pets provide comfort, and joy. However, as responsible pet owners, it is crucial to recognize potential dangers that may arise from a student’s backpack. While we rarely think of school bags as relevant to our pets, they often contain various items that can prove harmful to curious pets.

One concern lies in the presence of potential toxic chewing hazards in a normal backpack. While the pens, pencils, and markers frequently found in students’ backpacks do not pose a significant threat to humans, their plastic casings, ink cartridges, or lead cores can prove hazardous if ingested by pets. These items can cause not just choking hazards but also stomach issues or even poisoning that could need immediate veterinary attention.

Food items are often tucked into backpack pockets or left in lunch boxes, never thinking of the dangers within them for our pets. Some common snacks, candies, or gum can contain ingredients that are poisonous to animals, such as chocolate, xylitol ( a gum sweetener ), or raisins. These substances can lead to symptoms ranging from stomach issues to seizures and organ failure in our beloved pets requiring immediate veterinarian assistance. Pets parents know to keep these items safe in the kitchen but making sure you are properly storing and securing food items after school is crucial for the well-being of our furry friends

There are many ways to prevent these issues and keep our pets healthy. While it might be tempting to throw backpacks on the floor when a student gets home, it is important not to do this. If open backpacks and lunchboxes are just laying on the ground it presents the opportunity for curious and sometimes mischievous pets to approach them, maybe even lured by unwanted food. An easy way to prevent this is to insert a place in the home and time in the students schedule to simply hang the backpack on a hook or inside a closet, zipped up and out of reach of the pets.