Broken lightbulbs of any kind present a danger to dogs of all sizes. Glass from a broken halogen bulb may be stepped on, swallowed or inhaled. Because small dogs' faces, mouths and noses are often closer to the ground, they may be at greater risk.
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Chewing and Sniffing
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Chewing on items with small shards of glass can pose dangers to dogs. Many dogs chew everything in sight, even if it's not edible. A dog licking food off the floor might inadvertently lick some unseen glass still on the ground after a halogen lightbulb has shattered. The thin glass from a halogen lightbulb can spread to dog toys, a water bowl or a food dish, and a small dog can be hurt by accidentally licking, chewing or swallowing glass.
If you notice your dog sneezing a lot, rubbing her nose, having nosebleeds or showing signs of discomfort, have her examined by a veterinarian.
Stepping on Glass
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Delicate paw pads Tiny shards of glass from a broken halogen lightbulb can stay on the floor even after sweeping and vacuuming. If a small dog steps on a sharp piece of glass, it may puncture his paw or pierce the skin between his toes. This can be very painful and cause profuse bleeding. A tiny piece of glass that works its way into a dog's foot can be difficult to find or remove and may lead to infection.
Control the Bleeding
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Rinse the wounded paw If your dog gets cut by lightbulb glass, rinse off her foot, gently wash it with an antiseptic liquid such as Betadine or a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. You can also squirt some sterile saline solution onto the cut foot.
Control the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound with a clean cloth, towel or gauze pad. Have the dog lie down with his injured side facing up and be sure to elevate the foot to slow the bleeding.
Veterinary Care
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At the veterinary clinic If you cannot get the bleeding to stop within 5 minutes, seek veterinary care. The open wound will probably need to be stitched up by your veterinarian. Neglecting dog paw injuries may result in blood loss, infection and further pain.
Halogen Lamps and Fire Danger
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Halogen lamp Halogens are a type of incandescent bulb, but they run hotter than regular bulbs, and the torchiere style halogen lamps seem to cause the most problems when it comes to halogen lightbulbs. Because the "open end" is up, flammable material such as dust, hair and scraps of paper can collect on and around the bulb, and this leads to a fire hazard even if the lamp is not tipped over. Drapes and curtains can catch on fire if they come in contact with the hot bulb. The New York State Consumer Protection Board called these lamps "open fires in our homes," warned consumers to avoid buying them and encouraged those who have small children or pets to discard the lamps as soon as possible.
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