General Chat

Dog nearly dies after eating slug pellet
SAM EMANUEL

Last updated: 14/08/2010 09:00:00


Ray Noble with Kess
A Norfolk dog-owner is warning people with pets to beware after his dog nearly died when she ate “pet-friendly” slug pellets.

Ray Noble, 64, from Stoke Holy Cross, was shocked to find his beloved black Labrador Kess collapsing and drooling heavily in his garden.

The retired father-of-two and grandfather-of-three, who lives with his 61-year-old wife Jeanne, rushed the dog to the Chapelfield veterinary surgery in Long Stratton, where staff made the dog sick, pumped her stomach, lined it with charcoal and put her on various drips.

Mr Noble said: “She had gone into the garden at about 6pm.

“I got home about 10 minutes later and she was in a terrible state.

“She was panting very heavily even though she hadn't been running, and was foaming at the mouth and drooling heavily.

“She was shaking a lot and couldn't stand up, and thought she looked like she had been poisoned. I called the vets immediately and took her there, even though it was out of hours.

“I got a call at 10pm saying they had done all they could and it was now down to the dog, and that they would phone me if anything changed. I didn't sleep all night, and at 9am the following morning they called me to ask if I wanted to pick her up, which was such a massive relief.

“I spend so much time with her she is like another child.

“If I hadn't got her to the vets as quickly she would have died, there is no doubt about that.

“I know some people might have been tempted to wait until the next day, because it was out of hours, but if anyone has any doubts they should get their dog to the vets immediately.”

The slug pellets the dog had eaten contained a chemical called metaldehyde, which can be fatal if eaten by dogs or other animals.

There is no antidote, and vets can only pump the animal's stomach to ensure ingestion is minimised.

Brands that are marked pet-friendly still contain the chemical, but they also have a cat and dog repellent included in the formula.

Can this be kept nudged please?

There is also a thread on Chat about cats and lillies

Lizx

Liz this is why I have never used slug pellets, I used to have three cats and worried they would get in contact with them. I always thought about the hedghogs and birds who eat slugs, if they ate one that had eaten slug pellets they could die, just not worth it. The old standby of sharp sand round top of plant pots and half grapefruit skins filled with beer and sunk in the garden did the trick.
Thanks for putting this up, I hate the things.

Caz

Beer in an old jar ,sunk into the soil is as good as anything ,there is no such animal as a SAFE slug pellet ,having had allotments for many years ,i learned this the hard way watching birds and hedgehogs die is not nice for anyone,Fred.

Hi all
I agree cant stand the things our next door neighbours cat was poisoned by slug pellets luckily we were good friends and i used to go and feed the cats let them out when they were at work and I found her she was in a terrible state poor thing it was awful to see the poor cat like that
I rushed her to my vet and rang my neighbours to let them know what was going on the husband met me there the vet put her on drip ect and kept her in for a couple of days she had to get medication to take when she got home
The vet said if it hadnt been for my fast reaction to get her to vets she would have died

Polly, thankfully some neighbours are sensible like you.

Let's keep this nudged so all can see it please

PP, glad you could help your neighbour's cat. I lost one of mine once, and a few days later she was found dead on a driveway in the next road, she could have got through the gardens to the house but never knew what killed her, no marks on her and when I got back from a weekend away my partner at the time had buried her.


Lizx

Hi Jean & Liz
A lot of people using these slug pellets dont see what damage they can do to animals you just think of them killing slugs
but seeing it first hand it was something i will never forget to see this poor wee cat in such a state and its not a quick death when they are poisoned its horrific the animal really suffers
i have my own cat and even if i didnt i would never use them surely there must be some other way to protect your plants from slugs that are more friendly to our pets
also the company producing these pellets should be made to answer for saying they are pet friendly
poison to me says exactly what it is something used to kill
PP xx

nudging as Liz asked.

thanks Caz
xx

n

Nudging.


(I use beer too)

Thanks Marion, I think by the lack of response on this subject most people must use slug pellets.

Caz xx

I find a couple of chickens is far better than slug pellets. My ex-batt girls go mad for them, and snails too.

hi Caz

You can also use plastic bottles cut in size,sunk into the ground,put some beer in, theres usually plenty left in cans after a party or bbq . Or buy a can of cheap beer. you can make a 'lid' out of the rest of the bottle leaving gaps for slugs to get in but keep rain out.

We found our next doors cat dead outside our front door.There was some vomit and poo.I'm pretty sure it was poisoned .A couple of days ago I saw the other cat from next door on our drive and it looked like it had parkinsons.It was quivering all over.I haven't seen him since !!

this is why i dont like slug pellets,
i either put up with slugs, or use salt on um, have used crushed egg shells too,

Oh,Jane thats so sad.
I hope the owners are asking questions.

Marion we don't have a garden anymore but used to have a massive one, we had to move to sheltered housing when I became disabled and I so miss the garden. Crushed eggshell was good as well, as I have been told copper wire or tape is, round plant pots, I've even resorted to a wide strip of vaseline round plant pots, they can't get a grip.

Caz

Vaseline spread round the top of pots, just under the rim, can stop those horrible slugs and snails getting into the plant but sometimes if things overhang they can crawl up and munch. Horrible creatures!

Lizx