Your pets and your kids are similar in many ways – they are cute, full of love, and they will eat whatever they can get their hands (or paws) on. Crayons, cheerios or dirty old sneakers – if they can get it in their mouth, they’ll eat it!

Hearing Aids Are Dangerous If Swallowed

That is why it is particularly important to store your ​hearing aids properly when you have pets in the home. A pet that swallows a hearing aid or hearing aid battery could be at risk for serious complications.

Signs Your Pet Swallowed A Hearing Aid Or Battery

When an animal swallows a hearing aid or battery, the symptoms or signs of distress may not be evident for up to 12 hours. There are several symptoms to be on the lookout for if you suspect your dog or cat has swallowed your hearing aid or hearing aid battery:

• Tongue is either whitish-gray (from dead skin) or red and raw

• Vomiting or drooling more than normal

• Whimpering or more quiet than normal

• The animal won’t eat

Call The Veterinarian

If you suspect or know that your pet has swallowed your hearing aid or the hearing aid battery, take them to the veterinarian immediately. Alkaline batteries can burn the tongue, throat and stomach, and battery pieces in the stomach may need to be removed with surgery.

Store Hearing Aids Safely

To avoid the scare – and expense – of losing a hearing aid down the throat of your trusty pet, take care to put your hearing aids and batteries where your pets can’t reach them. Drawers, cabinets and containers that close are the safest places for your hearing aids when you’re not wearing them. Bathroom counters and bedside tables are popular places to keep hearing aids when you take them out, but those places are unsafe because the hearing aids can easily be knocked onto the floor and into the curious mouth of your cat or dog.

Safely Dispose of Hearing Aid Batteries

In addition to keeping your hearing aids and batteries safe when you’re not using them, be sure to safely dispose of your ​hearing aid batteries when they run out. Look up what the regulations are in your local area for battery disposal, or find a local hardware or electronics store that will safely dispose of your batteries for you.

While hearing aids are perfectly safe for you to use, they can do a lot of damage if swallowed by one of your pets. Keep your animals healthy, and your hearing aids safe, by storing the hearing aids and batteries in closed cupboards or containers and disposing of the batteries safely and securely.