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K2
03-11-2010, 16:20
I had a scare last week, and I thought I ought to share it with other dog lovers, along with giving some useful information.

Precious is a 10 year old toy poodle. If I had named her, I'd called her Rotten, that how spoiled my dear mother made her. I inherited her five years ago. She's such a comfort when I sink into depression; I guess you might call her my therapy dog.

Anyway, I was filling my pill box last week. I didn't know that I had dropped a pill. Precious got a hold of it, and when I found it, it looked like she just bit through the capsule and quit messing with it after she'd got a taste. But, she's little! As I call the emergency vet and animal poison control, I kept saying to myself, "She barely touched it; she barely touched it", but the panic button was already pressed.

Anyway, I got her to the ER vet, and they checked with poison control. Thankfully, the pill she sampled was one of the "better" pills that she could have gotten hold of; the vet just gave her a large shot of fluid under her skin to help clear it out.

I told my best friends about this, saying Precious had gotten "Scout disease"; their dog went to the ER vet 2 weeks before due to chocolate.

Both dogs are fine; I'm thankful things weren't worse. Already cautious, I will be that much more in the future.

The ASPCA animal poison control center is a non-profit, but they request a "donation" to help; well worth it to me. Anyway, their website also offers information about the substances most likely to affect one's pet.

The poison control website is http://www.aplaceforanimals.com/what-to-do-if-your-animal-has-been-poisoned/

The emergency phone number is (888) 426-4435 They indicate on the website that you may be charged $65, but I was only charged $35.

Anyway, I wanted you all to have this information, and I hope you never have to use it.

Sincerely, ~K2~

P.S. I have to show off my "babies"!

clicker
03-11-2010, 21:02
I work in a pet store/boarding/grooming/training/daycamp setting and one of the most important things that we teach in training and tell people about is "leave it" commands. This is a perfect example. I am so happy that K2's dog is ok. And I would never tell any one that this is their fault. But leave it is simple, and can be life saving. Just reward your dog with a treat while they ignore another treat and say leave it constantly. Then progress towards only getting a treat when they ignore the other treat. Put your foot over it so they cannot get it. Eventually they will learn to ignore something on the floor unless you say its ok.

Again, I don't find blame here and think it is wonderfull that Precious is ok, and am glad that K2 went straight to the E-Vet. Many people don't do that, thinking that "it was only a little bit" and go on about their days.

Also remember that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is not true, I have seen as old as 14 go through beginner class with no previous training and seen them pass with flying colors. It is never too late to start or to teach new things.

Manwich
03-11-2010, 21:10
In pertinence to the AT: Take precautions if you see your dog, for whatever reason, investigate a dead mouse near a shelter. Who knows if somebody baited the shelter with poison, rodent consumed it then walked away and died with the poison in its system.

K2
03-12-2010, 00:24
You both have good points. Precious is good at "leave it", I've use it many times, and, until now, she's never even investigated a pill. I had finished filling my pill box, and I didn't realize I had dropped the pill. It was later, after I left the area, that she found it. I thought I was being careful. Now, I will use a tray, with a lip, to make sure any pills that drop go in there, or at least makes a noise as it drops. And I will do, like any good hiker does when they pack up camp, leave the area, and "look back" to see if I missed anything.

I also think it's important for people to do research of flora on the trail that might be hazardous to their pets, and the website I referenced has a searchable database for poisonous and nonpoisonous plants.

This is not intended to be a cautionary tale; rather it is to "Be Prepare" for this contingency.

I wish Precious was going on the trail with me, but I think it would be too hard on her because of her age and her size. I'm really going to miss her.

Cheers ~K2~