A cautionary tale

I am sure this has been brought up before but its probably worth doing it again.

Using a CPAP has been of tremendous benefit for me and it has improved my quality of life in a number of ways. Though the benefits are considerable, there are also drawbacks to its use. A few weeks ago, I ran into one of those drawbacks.

I had just wrapped up a long stressful day at work and was completely wiped out. I was so tired I barely made it to 9 PM before crawling into bed, slipping on my mask, turning on my CPAP and falling instantly asleep.

The next thing I know, I can barely breath, my nose is burning, my eyes watering and I am gasping for breath. I sat up in shock and ripped my mask off my face. I sat there dazed and confused, heart racing, wondering what had just happened.

I looked down at my mask, laying on the bed next to me. Its hissing away blowing air until the CPAP finally shuts off and stops. After a few minutes, my heart slows and my sinuses clear out and I can breath again. What the heck just happened? I checked the machine, its working as expected, its cables are firmly plugged in, all hoses attached correctly.

I finally gave up trying to identify what happened and settled back down. When I put my mask back on, I noticed an odd smell but didn't think much of it, resolving to do a complete clean of everything in the morning. Soon I fell back to sleep.

Again, I found myself sitting up in bed. I am light headed, my nose feels like the wrath of the netherworld has been forced through it. It was horrifying. Again I pulled my mask off. This time, after waiting for my head to clear, eyes to stop watering and nose to clear, I crawl out of bed to investigate. What was happening with my CPAP that was waking me up?

After a brief investigation I find nothing unusual. As I am sitting there, I hear a quiet sound, a gentle 'thump thump thump'. In the darkness next to my night stand something was moving. I turn on the light. There, curled up and frozen in place, not daring to move was my Labrador retriever. The only thing notifying me that he knew I was looking at him was a increase in the speed of the 'thump' of his tail. I see the brows over his eyes shift as he slowly rolls his eyes look at me.

Then it happened. I hear a quiet 'pthththfffffp' and then the lab lets out a big sigh.

THE HORROR, DOG GAS, a stuff so noxious it could be classified as toxic waste. But it wasn't just dog gas, it was something MUCH worse. An event so rare and so devastatingly catastrophic I almost ran from the room. It was Audible dog gas. As you all know, standard dog gas is a concentrated stench that even incredibly small amounts can sicken entire families. That's why even tiny dogs can clear a room. When its audible, there is several orders of magnitude more volume being expelled.

Sure enough, the labs butt was positioned right under my CPAP. Yes, my CPAP seemed to have sucked the entire dog fart into its inner workings, almost concentrating the noxious fumes and then forcefully injecting them directly into into my nose at 11 cm/H2O.

I am lucky to be alive.

So word to the wise, never feed your dog peanut butter and then allow him anywhere near your cpap at night.

Pet hair can also get into the filter, which is why it is good to exclude pets from the bedroom,
Or at least set up barriers to separate them from the air intake.
Our Chihuahua would love to sleep on our bed, but he is old,
and the anal gland releases a nasty funk with no warning.

LOL! We had a dog that gave us Audible Dog Gas Bombs! OMG, they were lethal! She was part lab (definitely the gas producing part).

BTW, did you ever see the series of kids books Walter the Farting Dog?

Shame on you all, you know you are just blaming the poor dog, when it's a problem closer to home. Jim

Solution: don't let your dog lie near the intake!

My Lab Emma could clear a high school gym during a basketball game. Even the state championship!

She sleeps up on my bed near my feet. The system intake is about 18" lower, and up near my head on the opposite side of the bed.

I *NEVER* smell her poots after I mask up. And I know darned well if I wasn't masked up, I would. I've even started putting on the mask if I want to read for 10-15 minutes!

ps. Do NOT give your dog that stuff that "cures" them of eating their poo. It doesn't work anyway, but if you think the air is bad NOW, just try a couple days of the "treatment"!

A cautionary tail?

Good story...made me laugh.
May you be spared the wrath of a Boston Terrier

Thanks for this wonderfully funny post, absolutely hilarious, and so well-written.

i enjoy that the intake is on my night stand, after serveral beers and wings at B-Dubs or Taco Bell and climbing into bed masking up and getting ready to sleep, my body relaxed and I smelt nothing while driving my wife and Australian Shepherd from the room.

Dog flatulence is a mixed blessing; we know the critter is alive, but kind of wish otherwise.

I'm glad my machine sits in a drawer. It would be deadly if my cat farted into it. Just last Sunday, on the way home from a pet expo, he had diarrhea in his carrier. For 3 miles, I drove with the window open, trying to keep my face as close to the window as possible. I was desperate to get to an exit and find a place to park so that I could clear that mess out. My dainty cat eats two jars of baby food a day. But darn it, one lick, and Regulus turns into a stink bomb.

Aw, poor baby.
(Both of you)