15 March 2012

Dog poisoning in Canberra

| sandcaw
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As I sit here writing this, our treasured family pet, an eleven year old Jack Russell X, is lying seriously ill in a Canberra veterinary surgery after the diagnosis of being poisoned with Ratsak. On Sunday morning she was a little ‘off’ but, being a typical lazy eleven year old we didn’t think much of it. She sleeps on top of a chair, with her sister, great for looking out of the window and wonderfully warm, especially when the sun comes around.

She’s always been sensitive to her tummy being touched and has skinny female legs. She’s always been a bit precious, stressed, highly strung, but totally loved. She was wobbly this morning, but had a drink and went to her kennel as per usual. On coming home this evening, I found a dog that was disorientated, falling over and unable to hold her head up.

The vet and her colleagues were spot on. With the suspicions of a tick, snake bite and possible stroke, within minutes they diagnosed the poisoning. After several injections, where her blood was as thin and pale as water, our precious girl is now having a blood transfusion and we face an anxious wait.

We don’t know how the dog has been poisoned. We don’t use Ratsak and the dogs are, despite being JR’s, hopeless at catching rats and have never been interested. However, this is not to say that they haven’t taken a liking to something dead and, after all the heavy rains, we cannot discount the fact that it could have perhaps been washed into the garden. As for someone throwing something over the fence? Well, we just won’t go there.

Please be vigilant. If your dog seems unwell, keep a close eye on it. Our girl only showed minor signs but started to go off her back legs, before it affected her whole body. We would just like to alert dog owners here in Canberra that dogs do get poisoned; it’s something that we always read about happening to other people. We never imagined it would happen to our precious girl. We wait anxiously for tomorrow.

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Unfortunately deliberate dog poisonings do happen in Canberra, and not all that rarely either. It would be good if you could call and notify the RSPCA inspectors and Domestic Animal Services. That way, if they get other reports of similar things in your area they can at least warn the public (it’s really hard to catch these people).

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd9:48 am 20 May 12

Swines.

Harlequinade7:04 am 20 May 12

I live in Belconnen and a neighbor informed me yesterday that her dog has been killed by poison 🙁

Our fences back onto an alley way and kids will often come and stir the dogs up to make them bark.
Ive caught them a few times throwing things over the fence or kicking the fence…but I end up just looking like the crazy old dog lady :/
Unfortunately one of my dogs has been debarked by its previous owner, so it has a bark thats amusing to the kids.

I double checked my backyard and i found about 5 or 6 tennis balls all grouped together..
but when i inspected them they seemed normal…unless theyve been sprayed with something, but would that really be anough to kill a dog? has anyone heard of someone doing this?

People suck.

Spectacular news, I didn’t expect to hear that. And another vote of confidence in the vet at Hall, there was a thread about her here a while back.

so glad your friend is OK.

sandcaw said :

First of all, our darling girl has made it.

By far the best news that I’ve heard today. Very pleased for you.

TheDancingDjinn9:45 pm 16 Mar 12

sandcaw said :

Thank you for all your kind and positive comments. It has been very much appreciated and we really are grateful for your thoughts. First of all, our darling girl has made it. Had it not been for the fantastic attention of the vet at Hall, she would have died on Wednesday evening. She had a blood transfusion and overnight stay and came home on Thursday evening.

We live in Dunlop, below the empty paddock that is now a nature reserve. We live beside a pathway. Our dogs are kept inside at night and always have been. They have, in their 11 years of life, never slept outside once which means no annoying barking for sleeping neighbours. Whilst they are outside during the day, I have spoken with plenty of our neighbours, who are home in the daytime, who have said that they never hear them. When we are at home, the dogs are always in. The only time they bark is when someone comes to the door.

We have narrowed it down to Saturday afternoon when we went to the shops. At that time both dogs were shut outside. We are still unsure of the cause and it was gradual so hard to detect. Fortunately the excellent veterinary care she received is what saved her.

Thank you all once again. We hope that our experience will alert others and set alarm bells ringing. Check the gums of the dog. If they are white, get it straight to the vet. We now know should this ever happen again.

Do you have a small dog door? – that way if they need to go out briefly to “go” then they can pop back in? – super happy your dog made a great recovery, it upsets me when people hurt animals – barking or not, you don’t just go and kill the animal – what are you the kid who burns and chops up dogs? – big ups to the Hall vet, she is a wonderful lady 🙂

GardeningGirl6:47 pm 16 Mar 12

That’s very good news. Well done the vet!

Thank you for all your kind and positive comments. It has been very much appreciated and we really are grateful for your thoughts. First of all, our darling girl has made it. Had it not been for the fantastic attention of the vet at Hall, she would have died on Wednesday evening. She had a blood transfusion and overnight stay and came home on Thursday evening.

We live in Dunlop, below the empty paddock that is now a nature reserve. We live beside a pathway. Our dogs are kept inside at night and always have been. They have, in their 11 years of life, never slept outside once which means no annoying barking for sleeping neighbours. Whilst they are outside during the day, I have spoken with plenty of our neighbours, who are home in the daytime, who have said that they never hear them. When we are at home, the dogs are always in. The only time they bark is when someone comes to the door.

We have narrowed it down to Saturday afternoon when we went to the shops. At that time both dogs were shut outside. We are still unsure of the cause and it was gradual so hard to detect. Fortunately the excellent veterinary care she received is what saved her.

Thank you all once again. We hope that our experience will alert others and set alarm bells ringing. Check the gums of the dog. If they are white, get it straight to the vet. We now know should this ever happen again.

Goddess said :

I have many different looking types of mushrooms/toadstools in my flower beds following all the rain we’ve had – do you think it could be that?

It’s pretty easy to diagnose rat poisoning if you go looking for it. Fortunately the treatment is fairly simple too, provided you start it in time. Hope the dog gets better soon.

The symptoms of mushroom or other poisoning would be quite different.

I have many different looking types of mushrooms/toadstools in my flower beds following all the rain we’ve had – do you think it could be that?

GardeningGirl4:33 pm 15 Mar 12

Mothy said :

Bails said :

Does the dog bark excessively? Specifically at night time?

Point?

General comment, it crossed my mind too that one person’s beloved pet is another’s neighbourhood nuisance, no, actually on second thoughts beloved pets aren’t likely left abandoned in yards too small for their breed bored and lonely with no exercise on a long term basis which is the type of thing that can result in endless irritating barking. But whatever the owner does (comment not directed at this poster) the dog never deserves such cruelty.

Sandcaw, I hope your little dog will be alright. Is it possible she came across a new plant or bulbs for spring somewhere that are toxic, I’d hate to think it really was deliberate.

thy_dungeonman4:21 pm 15 Mar 12

My mini fox-terrier who goes after (but does not consume) rats has swallowed both rat and snail poison .Fortunately we got her to the vet quick enough both times and had her stomach pumped and she had to take some medication. Funnily enough she would eat the pills straight out of your hand seeing as how unwary she is of strange substance unlike most dogs. She is now safe and happy, I hope your dog pulls through.

carnardly said :

are they ever out without being on a lead? They could’ve snaffled some just walking past anyone’s garden.

I hope it was just an accident.

Did you give the doggy some leftovers from Gus’?

Bails said :

Does the dog bark excessively? Specifically at night time?

Point?

buzz819 said :

This is bad, where abouts in Canberra do you live?

+1, want to know how worried I should be.

Does the dog bark excessively? Specifically at night time?

Sorry to hear this. Please keep us posted. 🙁

That sounds horrible, I hope it all turns out well for you.

Post on here if you need donors for blood, but it sounds like you’re sorted.

Good luck….

Little terriers are very good at rats, so it’s entirely possible that the dog got poisoned the old fashioned way. I want to believe that! I hope the dog pulls through.

are they ever out without being on a lead? They could’ve snaffled some just walking past anyone’s garden. I hope it was just an accident.

Hope your ‘Baby’ gets over this. I have a Jack Russell who does chase, catch and consume mice – Neighbour had Chickens for a while – there where no mice insight just tails – I do NOT and never will use rat sack, I just wish everyone else out there would do the same, and snail bait!

Oh no, I hope she’s ok. Hopefully it’s not a case of deliberate poisoning but maybe just that she’s eaten something toxic. I hate the thought of people poisoning family pets, it’s the lowest form of cruelty.

Best of luck, I hope you (or the Vet) inform those who should know.

buzz819 said :

This is bad, where abouts in Canberra do you live?

Dog owner.

That sounded pretty bad, sorry about that, I forgot to add,

I hope the girl get’s better soon!

This is bad, where abouts in Canberra do you live?

Dog owner.

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