Poisons getting Queensland’s naughtiest dog breeds into trouble
Queensland’s 10 naughtiest dog breeds have been revealed, and they’re putting their lives at risk by chowing down on poisonous nasties. See what they are and get expert tips on how to protect your pooch.
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Exclusive: Labrador Retrievers are the state’s naughtiest dogs, risking their health by eating poisonous nasties, new data shows.
The Animal Poisons Helpline found the breed accounted for more than one in ten poisoning calls from January to August, followed by Border Collies (8 per cent of calls) and Staffordshire Bull Terriers (5.9 per cent).
Rounding off the top 10 were Jack Russell terriers (4.7 per cent), Golden Retrievers (4.3 per cent), German Shepherds (4.3 per cent), Australian Kelpies (4.3 per cent), French Bulldogs (3.9 per cent), American Staffordshire terriers (3.5 per cent), and Miniature Dachshunds (3.1 per cent).
Cross-breeds were not included in the data set.
It has prompted a warning to Queenslanders to poison-proof their homes to ensure the curiosity of our four-legged friends doesn’t get the better of them.
Brodifacoum, the active ingredient in rodent baits, was the most common toxin in Queensland dog poisonings, involved in almost one in ten calls to the Helpline.
Almost 5 per cent of dogs fell victim to chocolate, while 3.3 per cent were poisoned by fertiliser.
Insecticide Fipronil (3.1 per cent) which is found in some tick and flea control products for pets, and usually present in ant and cockroach treatments, and common insect-killing chemical synthetic Pyrethroids (2.9 per cent) were also among the top five toxins.
Your Vet Online CEO and Chief Veterinarian Dr Leigh Davidson said brodifacoum, which can cause internal bleeding if ingested, and chocolate were the biggest concerns.
Dr Davidson said Fipronil and Pyrethroids would generally only cause health problems if consumed in large quantities, or if a dog was allergic to them.
When fertiliser poisonings were raised, they were often cases related to Blood and Bone where the dog had got into the bag and “gorged itself”.
“In this instance they often show signs of gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Some dogs also might develop pancreatitis,” Dr Davidson said.
She said she saw many cases of dogs ingesting compost which can often develop tremorgenic mycotoxins (produced by fungi) as it breaks down.
“When eaten by a dog result in agitation, drooling, vomiting that then develops into severe tremors and maybe even seizures,” she said.
Nick Merwood, a Specialist in Poisons Information at the Australian Animal Poisons Helpline, said some of the breeds listed were “prone to diseases that make them feel hungry, such as diabetes, and therefore are more likely to seek out food”.
“Some of the breeds are also more likely to have a condition that requires medication that increases appetite as a side effect, such as phenobarbitone for epilepsy or prednisolone for allergic skin disease and auto-immune conditions,” Mr Merwood said.
He added the popularity of these dog breeds could also explain why they featured in more calls for poisons advice.
Dr Davidson agreed that some pet medications increased appetite and that it was something she brought to her clients’ attention, but often it was dogs’ curiosity that got them into trouble.
This meant it was important dog owners poison-proofed their homes.
“Put poisons like rodent and snail baits, human medications and cleaning sprays in a cupboard; preferably a cupboard that you can securely close because dogs will try and get into them,” Dr Davidson said.
“You should also consider removing dangerous garden plants. Yesterday Today Tomorrow (brunfelsia spp) can cause seizures and tremors if eaten. I also wouldn’t have Sago Palms in my backyard.
“If you are going to lay any baits, try and shield them from your dogs.”
Originally published as Poisons getting Queensland’s naughtiest dog breeds into trouble