CPAP Equipment and Your Pets

Once in a while I receive a call from a driver explaining that his dog chewed his CPAP hose, mask or more recently, the cat’s claws destroyed the hose…. And I always get a good chuckle….

It’s no secret that I’m an avid animal lover and some would even venture to say I have “crazy cat lady” tendencies…. My two male cats rule my home.  …And yes- they have also had their encounters with CPAP equipment- although at this stage they don’t really pay it much attention.

So, yes… animals either have a love or hate relationship with the CPAP unit… some are fearful of something new and foreign and others consider it a new playtime addition to the bed.

In time, cats should become adjusted and rather bored of the whole CPAP thing and shouldn’t pose a long term problem with your equipment.  Dogs, on the other hand, especially young ones really love to chew on almost anything they can get their teeth on… especially a plastic hose, mask etc.

Suggestions: for those of you who rent your home from your pets… you may want to put your hose away and out of sight from both the felines and canines in your life.

Best practice would be to disconnect the hose after each use and hang to drip dry over the door.  However, seeing a hose hanging- may entice certain critters.  So the best recommendation would be to keep your CPAP equipment out of your pet’s sight.

Additionally, if your pet is sleeping with you and grabbing at your equipment- not only is this not good sleep hygiene, but it’s not a good idea for the integrity of your equipment. Placing the hose under the covers may help- but if it remains a problem- you may want to exclude animals from the bedroom.

So- for those of you who were too embarrassed to come forth with your own pet stories- now is your chance… how many others out there have had issues with their pets damaging their CPAP equipment etc.?  Please share your experiences…

Safe travels,

Katia