Who ate all the (Mince) Pies…
09 January 2017
A relieved dog owner has issued a warning after her family spent Christmas Day at the vets after their pooch wolfed down 15 mince pies.
Greedy American Bulldog cross, Lagertha, sent the Barrett family, from Wallasey, Liverpool, into a panic after they found her in the kitchen with just half a mince pie left on the tray, which was full just moments earlier.
Mother-of-five, Kate (45), said: “My husband Michael had been baking mince pies and had left them on a tray to cool. Somehow Lagertha managed to open the kitchen door and got her paws on them.
“My first reaction was absolute horror as I know mincemeat can be dangerous to dogs. So we took her straight to PDSA.”
PDSA senior vet Matt Forshaw, from our Huyton Pet Hospital, said Lagertha was treated as an emergency case. The team carried out blood tests to ensure she didn’t have any kidney damage as a result of eating the pies.
Matt said: “We knew Lagertha had eaten a large quantity of mince pies, which contain raisins, currants and other fruit that is toxic to dogs.
“We induced vomiting to try and clear them from Lagertha’s system. We also gave her charcoal which may help to bind toxins before they are absorbed.
“Thankfully, the Barrett family were aware of the danger and quick to react when they realised what she had eaten. Things could have been much worse as the toxins can cause organ damage or even death if left untreated.”
Kate said the family were hugely grateful to PDSA for the care Lagertha received.
She said: “That Christmas was very stressful and I wouldn’t want other pet owners to go through the same.
“We ended up having our turkey dinner at about 7pm, but all that mattered was that Lagertha was okay.”
Every year pets require emergency treatment to counter the harmful effects of foods like human chocolate, onions and garlic, as well as fruits such as raisins and sultanas. The latter were among the most common agents in poison cases reported to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS), along with milk chocolate.
Matt added: “Many owners are unaware of the dangers of certain human foods to pets. At this time of year there may still be a lot of festive foods around in the home so it’s important to ensure that it’s kept out of paws reach. A simple mistake, due to lack of awareness, could actually mean the difference between life and death for your pet.
“Lagertha is just one of the lucky pets to benefit from PDSA’s A&E service which has received generous funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Thanks to their support we’re able to provide thousands of life-saving treatments.”
We’re also alerting people about the risks of other popular foods including chocolate, grapes and onions, which can be harmful or even fatal due to the chemicals they contain.”
Visit our Pet Health pages for more information about common household items that are toxic to pets.
