Dog dodges death after downing 'lethal' pie

04 December 2018

A Jack Russell-cross from Clydebank, near Glasgow, narrowly avoided a pre-Christmas catastrophe after wolfing down a seasonal snack.

The ingredients of traditional mince pies are potentially lethal to dogs, so when three-year-old pooch McNab devoured one, his owner was understandably desperate to get help.

Magdalene Lawson (70) rushed little McNab to our Shamrock Street Pet Hospital in Glasgow, where vets provided emergency treatment. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and we are now warning dog owners to keep pets well away from toxic treats this Christmas.

Magdalene said: "I'd left my mince pie on the side to answer the door. Out of the corner of my eye I saw McNab sneaking out of the room, along with my mince pie!

"I felt sick with worry - I knew just how poisonous a mince pie could before him."

Magdalene immediately rang PDSA, who advised her to bring McNab straight in. He was given treatment to make him vomit the mince pie to help prevent absorption of the potentially-deadly toxins, and monitored closely.

PDSA vet Jennifer Penman from our Glasgow Shamrock Street Pet Hospital, said: “Thankfully, Magdalene was aware of the danger and was quick to react when she realised what McNab had eaten. Things could have been much worse as the toxins from raisins, sultanas and currants can cause kidney failure or even death in dogs if left untreated.”

Jennifer added: “With the festive season here, many of us will have lots of treats, sweets and chocolates in the house. But while Christmas can be a time for indulgence, it’s important to remember that some foods are very harmful to our pets. Foods including mince pies, chocolate, onions, raisins, grapes, some nuts, sage-and-onion stuffing and Christmas cake can all be harmful and should be kept safely out of paws’ reach.

“Instead of giving pets extra food, treat them by taking your dog for more walks or giving your cat extra playtime.

Magdalene said she wants to share McNab’s story to raise awareness, so others don’t have to go through the panic and worry she experienced.

She said: “I’m too frightened to have mince pies or fruit cake in the house now – they aren’t worth the worry! I want to warn others to be really careful this Christmas, and keep any food that could be poisonous to pets well out of reach.”

Owners should speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they think their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.

To help pet owners keep their pets safe over the festive period, we have put together a downloadable Christmas survival guide, free to download here: www.pdsa.org.uk/xmas-survival-guide.