I recently read an article about Lola the underwear eating dog, who outrageously consumed three pairs of pants and developed a keen taste for all things unsuitable for a dog’s palate. The next temptation was chocolate brownies as the smell of freshly made, chocolaty delights proved simply irresistible. Lola devoured the whole lot along with the shattered glass of the container. Luckily the recently consumed underwear protected Lola’s stomach from cutting her – things could have been a whole lot worse.
This story actually brought back memories, as my border collie Meg decided to help herself to a whole packet of Nurofen when she was only two years old. After a couple of hours running around the house like a maniac, my partner spotted the empty packet and panic stations hit. The tablets contained Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal drug that works as a pain relieving as well as an anti-inflammatory drug. When we rushed Meg to the vets we were told that her brain was abnormal from the chemical reaction and this had caused her to behave rather strangely. This reaction is most common when a dog eats slug or snail pellets. After a night of unpleasant surgery at the vets Meg recovered quite quickly but we were told that if she was any older her body may not have been able to cope with the shock.
So why are dogs tempted to everything that is not dog friendly?
- Dogs are scavengers by nature and may eat anything they come across
- A dog who eats something peculiar may be acting out of boredom, anxiety or dissatisfaction
- If your dog is left alone most of the day, he or she is probably bored and lonely
We need to remember the animal system is much more delicate to that of a human and these products can prove to be highly harmful.
The best advice I could give to people is to make sure you put all objects away out of pet sniffing reach and mischievous paws. Make sure you reward your dog on a regular basis and give him/ her lots of treats so that temptation of anything unfriendly is prevented. Regular attention and exercise also ensures your dog remains obedient and listens to your commands.
I would also recommend you cover yourself with pet insurance as immediate help from the vet can be extremely costly. We paid out over £300 for Meg to have her stomach pumped which was a struggle to pay at the time.
