Search results for: “Will Dog Food Make A Cat Sick”

A hungry hound from Glasgow has undergone life-saving surgery to remove 4ft of his intestines – all because he swallowed an item of food that many people eat on a regular basis.

Food based emergencies are frequently seen by vets, whether it’s food that is toxic to dogs, dogs eating too much of a food or dogs eating things they thought were food but weren’t. Regularly human food often finds itself in to the stomachs of our dogs and in most cases it’s no cause for alarm, but sometimes dogs eat things that can prove fatal to them.

Eating a corn-on-the-cob is not a good idea if you’re a dog.

Rhodesian Ridgeback crossbreed, Sam (7), had an emergency operation to remove around half of his small intestine after PDSA vets discovered the corn husk was causing it to rot away.

PDSA Senior Vet, Susie Hermit, from the vet charity’s Glasgow Shamrock Street Pet Hospital, said it was one of the most severe cases she had ever seen:

“We found that the corn on the cob husk was causing a major blockage in Sam’s small intestine, restricting the blood supply.

“Unfortunately, some of the damage was irreversible and we had to remove around half of his intestine, which had begun to die off and rot. Sam was very lucky to survive. He was at high risk of developing potentially-fatal blood poisoning and the operation to remove such a large section of his intestines was incredibly risky.”

Sam’s owner, Lorraine Graham (43), from Tollcross, was petrified at the thought of losing her beloved pet.

She said: “We first noticed something was wrong was when Sam started being sick. and it gradually got worse until he was being sick every 20 minutes.

“I couldn’t believe it when PDSA x-rayed him and told us what was causing the blockage. We hadn’t been eating corn on the cob so he must have picked it up while outside,” she said.

“He was so weak and lethargic that I knew he was facing the fight of his life. Thankfully he pulled through and I can’t thank PDSA enough for saving him.”

“We’re extra careful with him now but I’m really happy that he’s made such a good recovery. He’s back to his old self again and is eating normally which is great.”

PDSA vets are issuing a warning to pet owners ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend, as many people may be planning barbecues.

Corn on the cob was one of the most common items removed from pets last year with 28 cases treated by PDSA. Other strange items swallowed by pets include bones (51 cases) and kebab sticks (7).

Thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, PDSA is educating pet owners about the phenomenon of pets eating strange objects – known as ‘pica’ – and how to keep their animals’ safe.

Susie added: “Pets like to use their mouth to investigate objects as well as to eat. Puppies and younger pets will often swallow an item by mistake, even though they had only meant to investigate it.

“Something like corn on the cob might seem harmless enough but if an object moves along the digestive system, as it did with Sam, it can cause a tear or life-threatening blockage.

“If you have pets at home, try to keep anything dangerous or easy to swallow out of paws’ reach. Only let them play with suitable pet toys and try to supervise them to avoid any accidents. If you do suspect your pet has swallowed something you should contact your vet for advice immediately.”

BBQ safety tips

Skip the scraps: Eating barbecue scraps can upset your pet’s stomach. Undercooked, unfamiliar or fatty food can cause vomiting and diarrhoea
Bit it: Throw away any leftover food and rubbish into a lidded dustbin. At PDSA our vets often see pet who have eaten corn on the cob cores. These can cause a serious blockage and need removing by surgery
Keep fuel well out of reach: Lighter fluid can prove fatal if ingested as it contains hydrocarbons, which are derived from crude oil
Keep pets well away from flames and glowing embers: With all that fur around, your four-legged friends could get severe burns. So make sure they steer clear
Slap on the suncream: Pets can suffer from sunburn and heatstroke just like us. So give your pets some suncream, shade and plenty of water. For white fur or damaged skin, special pet suncreams are available from pet shops
Think when you drink: Keep glasses and drinks out of reach of thirsty pets. Alcohol can be particularly hazardous for pets. Use plastic cups as glass bottles, mugs and tea cups can easily smash into splinters to pierce paw

We received a note from K9 Magazine reader Kerry. She was puzzled about a particular piece of behaviour her dog put on when they were out for a morning walk.

Here’s her email (which she has given us permission to publish):

This morning, Tina our nine month old pup encountered a fairly fresh pile of horse dung. At first she sniffed it and then she tried to eat it so I shouted for her to stop and then she started to roll around in it. My question is whether this is normal behaviour or does she have some sort of deficiency in her diet that would make her want to eat something nasty like that?

Well Kerry, your dog is neither strange nor sick. Many dogs appear to have this particularly unpleasant predilection for eating or rolling in horse mess.

First things first. You were right to try and prevent your dog from eating it. It’s not good. Horse dung can also include the presence of horse wormer so that’s even more reason to prevent your dog from doing it along with the fact that it’s just plain nasty!

The presence of equine parasite treatments such as Ivemectin can be very hazardous to dogs (breeds such as Collies, Staffies, Whippets/Greyhounds and Australian Shepherds are particularly vulnerable), so if you witness a dog that has recently eaten horse poop behaving strangely, consult your vet immediately and explain what’s happened.

Why do dogs eat horse dung?

Ever smelled a can of freshly opened dog meat? How about tripe that’s been hung for a while? What about an animal carcass that’s been in the sun for a few hours? Disgusting, right? Your dog will try to eat ALL of those things and don’t pretend otherwise. You know it, I know it, they know it. Let’s not try and deny the obvious, our dogs show a fondness for consuming some seriously smelly stuff.

What seems awfully off putting for us can serve as a delicious treat to our four legged pals. The smellier the better seems to be their motto. So horse poop is just another delicacy on the canine menu. To a dog, a fresh pile of horse dung is a high fibre breakfast meal with a particularly arousing odour. It’s like an enticing bowl of Weetabix, if the Weetabix came out of a horse’s bum. As stated though, if you don’t personally know the backside the horse it came from and everything that’s been given to that horse then you should be quick to stop your dog before they get too many mouthfuls down their neck – and even if you do know the horse in question, don’t let your dog scoff their delicious dung deposits, it’s just, you know, nasty.

You might be somewhat comforted to know that from our mini survey of dog owners, there wasn’t a single one of us who owned or had owned a dog that DIDN’T try to scoff horse muck. They seem to view it as free food that should be eaten as quickly as possible. Yuck!

Why do dogs roll around in horse poop?

There’s a school of thought that dogs smear themselves in pungent material (like horse poop) because it disguises their own smell. Well, they’re not wrong are they? You take the dog out for a walk smelling all fresh and reassuringly doggy and the journey home you find yourself holding your nose so as to not get a strong whiff of Stinky McStinkface who seems quite proud of himself as he showcases his fondness for eau de dung.

A dog might want to disguise his smell because somewhere, in the very back of the ancient part of his canine brain, he thinks by smelling like horse poop he’s gained an advantage over his predators and his prey. By smelling like animal excrement he’ll be less detectable and will blend in to his environment more. Now, quite why he’d want to do that when he lives in a nice detached house in Cheshire we can only guess. But he does. He still thinks he’s a wolf, bless him. Speaking of which, you won’t be surprised to learn that wolves do this to. They roll around in horse muck, buffalo dung and all manner of stinky animal carcasses. Wild wolves have the same penchant for coating themselves in smelly stuff as our domestic pet dogs which is just another reminder that domesticated canines, at heart, are never slow to show us they’ve got a few ancestral tricks up the sleeves of their designer dog coats even if some of those tricks happen to be, quite frankly, gross.

Rest assured Kerry. Your dog is 100% normal.

The shocking truth concerning the vast numbers of unwanted dogs in Britain today.

As a national voluntary animal protection group based in the South West of England, South West Animal Protection (SWAP) and countless numbers of rescue organizations, charities and independent rescue workers across the UK, face this grim reality every day.

The members of the SWAP team regularly compile and distribute emergency email appeals for dogs on death row across the UK. They give their own account of the dire situation:

The computer goes on, the emails download and already there are four appeals for dogs on death row, fourteen dogs in total, thirteen of which are Staffordshire Bull Terriers commonly referred to as ‘Staffies’. These desperate dogs are only days away from death, often perfectly healthy, friendly, loving little beings who for one reason or another have ended up in a dog pound, abandoned or discarded by their owners. Now in their last few living hours all they can do is await their fate, will they be saved, or will their anxious barks be silenced, their wagging tails be stilled by the harrowing lethal injection?

With not a moment to lose, we immediately set to work, piecing together a special email appeal for the first group of dogs. The details of each individual have been listed, now we insert the photos, this is always the most emotionally challenging task, the desperate faces haunt you, their begging, mournful eyes staring back at you from the computer screen almost piercing your heart, each face crying out “please don’t let me die!”

Eleven of the fourteen dogs are less than three and a half years old, one of these being a six to nine month old pup.

The appeal will go out across the network to our supporters in the UK, a number of these being rescue centres or independent rescue workers. All we can do now is anxiously await the response.

The lives of these fourteen dogs are now depending on the efforts of the animal lovers across the country receiving our appeals. There are so many caring hard-working individuals who endeavour to save dogs like these every day, many of these ‘unsung heroes’ have full-time jobs and dedicate the few spare hours they have voluntarily, rescuing and transporting unwanted dogs from pounds to a safe haven, some will even place dogs in private kennels and pay the boarding fees out of their own pockets if this means keeping the dogs alive, often putting themselves in debt.

Dedicated rescue charities and organizations are working tirelessly on a daily basis to prevent unwanted dogs from being killed. ‘Doris Banham Dog Rescue’ (Registered Charity: 1103372, Website: www.dogsos.co.uk ) is one such amazing charity and was featured in the recent Panorama programme.

We have put out many appeals over the past three years on behalf of Doris Banham for some of the many thousands of dogs they have painstakingly saved from death row. The team at Doris Banham do incredible work for dogs in dog pounds that face imminent death.

Paul N Davis, Trustee for Doris Banham describes the work that they do, “In the last 4 years Doris Banham Dog Rescue have saved over 10,000 dogs from being put to sleep in dog council pounds in the UK. These dogs were rehomed direct by their Charity or placed by them into other approved non-destruct rescues who found the dogs the loving homes they deserved. Every dog is awarded full rescue back up by the Charity to give them the best ever chance in life. This includes vaccinations, veterinary treatment, training, neutering, microchipping, homechecks and a safe place to come back to should circumstances change in their new home. 10,000 dogs that would have otherwise died unloved in the past 4 years have now been given a new start in life”.

Most rescue shelters depend heavily on volunteers, fundraising and donations to enable them to carry out their vital life-saving work and many are struggling to survive in today’s current financial climate, others have already sadly perished. For those rescues that have managed to stay afloat, the workload is excruciating, kennels are constantly full, no sooner than one becomes vacant another unwanted dog will arrive and fill the space.

The simple, heart-rending truth is there just aren’t enough rescue spaces across the UK to accommodate the countless numbers of unwanted dogs in need and so thousands of healthy and often young dogs are put to sleep every year. The situation is now dire and needs to be addressed.

Over breeding, irresponsible dog ownership and extortionate vets fees are all to blame.

Over breeding is by far the most serious problem. We despair at the amount of people who insist on buying dogs from breeders, puppy farms the internet etc. while thousands of unwanted dogs are waiting desperately in rescue kennels for loving homes and thousands more are being euthanized. The slogan “Don’t Breed or Buy While Homeless Dogs Die” is commonly used by animal shelters around the world and it speaks volumes. We urge anyone thinking of taking on a dog to please adopt one from a reputable rescue instead of buying a dog from a breeder, puppy farm etc. If every prospective dog owner was to do this, then the numbers of unwanted dogs in the UK would fall dramatically.

Spaying and neutering is also an essential means to reducing the numbers of unwanted dogs. All dog owners should have their pet spayed or neutered, this will prevent any accidental litters. Most reputable rescue organizations will spay or neuter before rehoming a dog, however, some smaller charities don’t always have the funds to do this but they will always recommend to the new owner that this is done.

Dog breeders, be they commercial or independent will of course not consider spaying or neutering as they will continue to breed dogs as a means to make a fast buck, so it is up to the members of the public to refrain from supporting these breeders and adopt a dog from a rescue centre instead.

Puppy farms and dog breeders across the UK are churning out dogs at an alarming rate. Many of these seedy and often ‘elusive’ establishments keep their dogs in appalling conditions and it is not uncommon for puppies from these places to be found in a poor state of health.

Breeding bitches are forced to produce litter after litter until they become exhausted and even disfigured in some cases. We have put out appeals for some female dogs that have been used so often for breeding that their delicate teats have become inflamed and enlarged to the point where they are dragging along the ground. It is heart breaking to witness such abuse.

It is now the responsibility of the government to take serious measures to stop all the over breeding in this country, as this is by far the biggest contributing factor to the escalating problem of so many unwanted dogs. The general public can also help by lobbying the government, writing to David Cameron and their own local MP’s urging them to take the necessary measures to stop the appalling and unforgivable carnage of thousands of dogs in the UK.

We feel that vets are also partly to blame for people abandoning their dogs. It is inconceivable to think that some people might be willing to give up their dog before giving up their X-box or DVD player, but sadly this is the attitude of some people. Exorbitant vets fees are not helping the situation. If a dog becomes sick then some less committed dog owners are tempted into giving up their pet when faced with the vet’s bill. The current recession has placed the security of the household pet on even shakier ground. How many sick animals are being neglected and left to suffer because
some penny-pinching individuals are unwilling to pay extortionate prices for treatment? It is the responsibility of the vets to reduce their fees which will encourage owners to keep and look after their animals properly.

Many dogs end up in rescues, pounds etc due to dog owner’s lack of foresight and lack of commitment. If people were to think more seriously before taking on a dog then this occurrence could be avoided.

Owning a dog is a huge responsibility and although the rewards of adopting a furry friend are immeasurable, there are several important points to consider before adopting a dog.

Financially, can you afford to pay for food, vets fees etc? Work and social commitments also need to be taken into consideration, a dog is a pack animal and so should not be left on its own for long periods of time as this would cause distress and anxiety.

Are you planning to move or change jobs in the near future? If so, then the dog’s needs would have to be considered and your lifestyle adapted to fit in with these needs.

Too often we hear of cases where couples have split up or moved house and as a result of these changes have decided to get rid of their dog, this is immoral and unacceptable, would these people give up their children under the same circumstances? It is extremely unlikely, so why is it deemed acceptable to give up their dog? Once a dog becomes a member of your family, it should remain so for life. To quote the words of ‘Dogs Trust’, the largest dog welfare charity in the UK “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”.

Sadly the ‘Staffie’ is far too often becoming a common resident in dog pounds and rescue centres.

This friendly, loyal breed has become the victim of many macho would-be ‘hard men’ of today’s society who are often using these dogs as a status symbol, a tool to boost their inflated, ambitious egos, the innocent Staffie, totally oblivious to its owner’s motives. These low-life thugs will disown their dog at the drop of a hat as soon as it is deemed as an inconvenience. Sadly, these unwholesome individuals have created a bad image for the Staffies in the eyes of the general public, this is a tragedy as these special dogs make wonderful, loyal, family pets as any Staffie rescue will tell you.

The Greyhound is another greatly exploited breed. Tens of thousands of these placid gentle-natured dogs are bred every year to supply the commercial racing industry. Thousands of these dogs are killed at the end of their
racing career, usually at the tender age of three or four years and countless more are either abandoned on the streets and picked up as strays or end up in rescues, all adding to the extremely overwhelming unwanted dog population.

There is no end to the amount of suffering that dogs in our society are being forced to endure. These living, breathing, loyal sentient beings have been ultimately betrayed by us. Mahatma Gandhi once said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated”. It would seem Britain is not so ‘Great’ after all, we have become a nation of convenience and throwaway ‘junkies’, self orientated and motivated by greed, this together with a lack of compassion has led to devastating consequences for our so-called ‘best friend’. Britain has become a nation of dog killers!

Photo by Bev Goodwin