Dartford Central Park grit 'poisons' woman's three dogs (From News Shopper)
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Dartford Central Park grit 'poisons' woman's three Staffordshire bull terrier dogs
3:41pm Wednesday 30th January 2013 in Dartford & Swanley news By Sam Christie
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Loretta and Scott Mitchell with their two-year-old daughter Sydnee and their dogs, Stanley, Nancy and Molly BE73546
A DOG walker from Dartford says her three pooches have been poisoned by grit from a town park.
Loretta Mitchell, of Phoenix Place, has described how her Staffordshire bull terriers fell ill after going for walks in Dartford Central Park.
The mother-of-three told News Shopper: “They came back from the park, licked the grit off their paws and poisoned themselves.
“If they weren’t such big, strong dogs it probably would have killed them.
“They’re sleeping all the time and as soon as they wake up they bring up thick yellow bile.”
First to suffer was three-year-old Stanley on the morning of January 20.
Nancy, also three, fell ill the following day and nine-year-old Molly the day after that.
Mrs Mitchell, 43, said her dogs are behaving strangely and has reported the case to Kent County Council.
She added: “It’s like they’re delirious. They’re not eating anything and lost so much weight you can see their ribs.
“All pet owners should be aware, it’s very worrying.”
A spokesman for the Veterinary Poisons Information Service, which offers advice for veterinary professionals on the diagnosis and management of poisoned animals, said the illness is likely to have been caused by rock salt.
She told News Shopper: “It’s the same as table salt, sodium chloride. It’s not good for animals to have too much of it and very poisonous for dogs.
“It can cause tremors, vomiting and can be very nasty.
“In severe cases it can lead to convulsions and kidney failure.”
Donna Lewis, a senior nurse at Parrock Street Veterinary Surgery in Gravesend, urged dog owners to wash their pet’s paws as soon as they get home.
She said: “It can be detrimental to their dog’s health. The salt can cause dehydration and sometimes will also contain anti-freeze which is toxic to dogs and extremely fatal to cats.”
The RSPCA said it has not received any reports of pets being poisoned in Dartford Central Park.
A spokesman for Kent County Council, which is responsible for laying the grit, said it does not contain anti-freeze which has been linked to a number of cat and dog deaths throughout the country during the big freeze.
Comments(13)
Virtual-Monster
says...
4:20pm Wed 30 Jan 13
It's common sense to at the very least towel your dog down after going out in the snow or slush, not just to help with the drying process but to remove contaminants like this.
And of course the other thing of note, who would have guessed that rock or grit salt contains SALT! Idiots.
Gypo.Joe
says...
7:43pm Wed 30 Jan 13
Wispy Wonder
says...
9:34am Thu 31 Jan 13
Take the dogs off them and give them to responsible owners instead.
Bob Downondiss
says...
7:45pm Thu 31 Jan 13
Fromswanleynotagypo
says...
10:06am Fri 1 Feb 13
ksc
says...
11:40am Sat 2 Feb 13
Marty1979
says...
8:17pm Sat 2 Feb 13
Marty1979
says...
8:19pm Sat 2 Feb 13
ksc wrote:How could someone be off work if they don't work???????
If no grit was put down, guess who would have slipped and hurt themselves, been of work for months and claimed a fortune?...I think it's called catch 22.
Madmarble
says...
10:00pm Sun 3 Feb 13
Oldchap
says...
7:14am Wed 6 Feb 13
But surely if your pets are as I'll as she claims then the first thing would have been to take them to a vet?
Tip-Top
says...
9:54am Wed 6 Feb 13
the wall
says...
3:15pm Wed 6 Feb 13
the wall says...
4:01pm Wed 30 Jan 13
.. Most good pet owners know this already.
Here's an idea how about you being responsable and having accountability and for your own pets.
I smell compo!