Dog baited three weekends in a row in Tamaree

A WORRIED dog owner has taken to social media to get to the bottom of a series of dog baiting incidents in Tamaree.

File photo: A dog sick from dog-baiting. . Picture: Elizabeth Naughton

A WORRIED dog owner has taken to social media to get to the bottom of a series of dog baiting incidents in Tamaree.

Josi Thompson, whose dog was poisoned three weekends in a row, said her dog tested positive to barbiturate in its system by a vet. 

"We have someone in the Tamaree area baiting one of our dogs," she wrote on the Gympie Information, Discussion and Advice Facebook page.

She is calling for information of any suspicious behaviour in the area.

"Has anyone else had their dogs baited in the area or has anyone seen someone cruising around on a Friday night or Saturday morning?"

A Gympie police spokesman said no reports had been made to the police and advised residents to report dog-baiting suspicions to the Gympie Regional Council, unless it involved dog stealing, which is a police matter.

The anxious owner said said her dog does not leave the property and she would be installing security cameras on her property. 

What is barbiturate?

Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. 

 Dogs and cats that eat the drug are at risk of developing toxicosis. Uptake is rapid with signs developing in about half an hour after ingestion.

Common dog baits 

PAPP (para-aminopropiophenone) is a new toxin for the control of wild dogs and foxes in rural and peri-urban areas. Likewise, it is toxic to domestic dogs and cats. An antidote is available, but it has some potential side effects and must be administered by a veterinarian very soon after bait ingestion.

  Until now, 1080 (sodium fluroacetate) has been the main poison used in baits for the control of wild dogs and foxes. 1080 is also fatal to domestic dogs and cats and there is no antidote.

What should I do if my dog is poisoned? (Courtesy of the RSPCA)

• Contact your nearest vet immediately if you believe your dog or cat has eaten a poison bait.
   
• Do not delay action or wait for your pet to exhibit symptoms. If they have eaten a PAPP bait, the antidote must be given within 30-45 minutes of bait ingestion in order for your pet to have a reasonable chance of complete recovery.

• If poisoning is suspected, induced vomiting may help to reduce the amount of toxin absorbed by the gut (but you must still take your pet to your nearest veterinary practitioner as soon as possible).
   
• Your veterinarian will be able to advise you how to do this safely. However, if you have it available, placing 2-3 washing soda crystals on the back of the tongue should cause vomiting.

• If your pet vomits, look for bright yellow marker beads - these are contained within every manufactured PAPP bait, to assist with poisoning diagnosis. Conversely, manufactured 1080 baits contain red marker beads.