Post by Brooke on Apr 16, 2004 0:40:24 GMT -5
Pet dies after eating toad fish
LOST PET: Maria Elderfield's dalmation Jaz is recovering at home, unfortunately Maria's other dog Libby died after eating a toad fish washed up beside the Barwon River. Photo: MIKE DUGDALE
Friday, April 16
MEX COOPER
AN Ocean Grove woman has watched her beloved dog suffer an agonising death after it ate a deadly fish washed up on the Barwon River bank.
Her second pet dog, Jaz, almost suffered the same grisly fate after eating the first dog's vomit.
Maria Elderfield rushed her dalmatian, Libby, to Leopold Pet Hospital while a vet applied mouth to mouth resuscitation as she drove.
Although Libby was given open heart massage at the hospital, she succumbed to toad fish poisoning en route.
Ms Elderfield was walking the dogs along the river on Wednesday night when she saw Libby nuzzling something in the sand near a boat ramp.
``We thought nothing else of it. We were out walking for another 10-15 minutes and then fed the dogs. After eating, Libby started being violently sick,'' Ms Elderfield said.
Fearful that the dog had been poisoned, Ms Elderfield drove to a nearby vet and on to Leopold Pet Hospital.
``The vet was doing mouth to mouth on her in the car and as soon as we got to the surgery they cut her open and started to do heart massage but she had died on the way,'' Ms Elderfield said.
Returning home she found Jaz in a similar condition after it had ingested some of Libby's vomit.
``I just went into an absolute panic . . . and thought I am going to lose both dogs in three hours,'' she said.
Jaz was making a recovery at home yesterday.
The toad fish is a member of the puffer fish family, one of the world's most poisonous creatures.
Ocean Grove vet David Hopkins said it was rare for dogs to eat the fish as most had a spiky covering, but admitted the problem could be more widespread.
``I've only seen two in 27 years but I suppose maybe we don't see them because they die that quickly,'' he said.
``People should be aware of it because the terrible thing about it is we can't treat them, they die so quickly.''
LOST PET: Maria Elderfield's dalmation Jaz is recovering at home, unfortunately Maria's other dog Libby died after eating a toad fish washed up beside the Barwon River. Photo: MIKE DUGDALE
Friday, April 16
MEX COOPER
AN Ocean Grove woman has watched her beloved dog suffer an agonising death after it ate a deadly fish washed up on the Barwon River bank.
Her second pet dog, Jaz, almost suffered the same grisly fate after eating the first dog's vomit.
Maria Elderfield rushed her dalmatian, Libby, to Leopold Pet Hospital while a vet applied mouth to mouth resuscitation as she drove.
Although Libby was given open heart massage at the hospital, she succumbed to toad fish poisoning en route.
Ms Elderfield was walking the dogs along the river on Wednesday night when she saw Libby nuzzling something in the sand near a boat ramp.
``We thought nothing else of it. We were out walking for another 10-15 minutes and then fed the dogs. After eating, Libby started being violently sick,'' Ms Elderfield said.
Fearful that the dog had been poisoned, Ms Elderfield drove to a nearby vet and on to Leopold Pet Hospital.
``The vet was doing mouth to mouth on her in the car and as soon as we got to the surgery they cut her open and started to do heart massage but she had died on the way,'' Ms Elderfield said.
Returning home she found Jaz in a similar condition after it had ingested some of Libby's vomit.
``I just went into an absolute panic . . . and thought I am going to lose both dogs in three hours,'' she said.
Jaz was making a recovery at home yesterday.
The toad fish is a member of the puffer fish family, one of the world's most poisonous creatures.
Ocean Grove vet David Hopkins said it was rare for dogs to eat the fish as most had a spiky covering, but admitted the problem could be more widespread.
``I've only seen two in 27 years but I suppose maybe we don't see them because they die that quickly,'' he said.
``People should be aware of it because the terrible thing about it is we can't treat them, they die so quickly.''