bird dogs poisoned

[salmonchaser]

Two weeks ago my 2 year old shorthairs generated 7 limits of pheasants. Last weekend, well it's probably not fun to be confined to a duck blind when you're a shorthair. They made some good retrieves, but with each retrieve it was tougher to get them back in the blind. Last Wednesday I was getting gear ready for a pheasant and Chukar trip we were planning on for the day after thanksgiving. The girls have it figured out, I load an ammo can in the truck they get curious, vests and boots, they go nuts. Guns, forget about it. They race around until loaded in their crates.
As I worked one of the dogs started behaving unusually. Normally standoffish, my wife's dog was quite literally getting under foot. Soon she began to have tremors. A quick check showed she had a temperature. The other dog was not exhibiting any symptoms.
I secured the dogs and made a loop around the property. Along the east fence I found an old weathered bag of slug bait, best guess improper disposal.
It was clear one or both dogs had gotten into the remnants. Off to the vet, stomach pumping, charcoal treatments, IV, treatment, and meds. Blood work shows that a liver enzymes in one of the dogs is 10 times normal. She is not doing well, but improving. The other dog is doing much better.
Long term, we are most concerned about liver damage.
Hopefully we'll get them out hunting soon.
Those warnings on the bag, believe it. It did not take much.

 

[truck driver]

Sorry to here about your dog's. I pray they get better and can go on many more hunts with you.

 

[Osprey78]

Geez. Hopefully all goes well. It's tough to see someone/something you are so close to, go through something like that. By the way you describe the dogs, you can tell that the bond is strong.

Best wishes.

 

[Anonymous]

Man, that is a tough thing. Hope the dogs recover fast with no after effects.

It seems that dogs live by the motto- "when in doubt, eat it." My Lab got into something last year, never did figure out what it was but the vet thought it was poisonous mushrooms. He bounced back but it paralyzed him for a whole day.

 

[DrMike]

Sorry to hear this, SC. I do hope your dogs recover fully.

 

[longrangehunter]

That's awful, and why would somebody do that? I hope they'll recover quickly and in good shape SC.

 

[Silentstalker]

Thoughts and prayers with your pups! Glad you caught it when you did.

 

[salmonchaser]

Most of all I'm glad I was home and working in the shop. The vet said time and amount consumed are critical factors. I believe the dogs reacted.very quickly and fortunately Harleys unusual behavior alerted me. I don't believe this was intentionally done. The area where I found the bag is nearest the county road where the trash cans go. Tuesday morning one of the neighbors cans got scattered, the crows got into the trash and it was windy. My guess a crow or other varmit got into the trash and against all odds the bag ended up in the pasture.
The vet said a tea spoon would be enough to kill the dogs.
The weaker of the two continues to improve today. She has much more energy than she had this morning.
We will do one more blood test next Saturday, absent some unexpected relapse, to see where the liver and kidney enzymes are at. Molly's numbers were at or very near normal, but high with in that range. Harley was high for all the ranges they measured including one that was 10 times normal.
We appreciate your concern I'll keep you posted.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have had friends who had dogs poisoned by slug bait accidently. Bad stuff, people need to be aware and not leave it laying around. Hope that your dogs recover?

 

[NYDAN]

Good thing you were home and alert to the dogs behavior. I hope they both make a full recovery.

 

[sask boy]

I am sure glad that your pups are on the mend. They become like family and it is hard on everyone when something like this happens.
Being home and alert really helped the cause so good job.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[super-7]

I hope your dogs get a full recovery!!! Forgive my ignorance but what exactly is slug bait? Some sort of insecticide I take it?

 

[salmonchaser]

S-7;
Slug bait is similar to mouse poison and similar products designed to have unwanted critters eat the product and die. Dogs and other animals find it attractive and my dogs are much like Hodgemans Lab, when in doubt eat it.
The girls continue to recover, no more diarrhea, energy levels are normal, eyes are bright and they are alert. We are still limiting their exercise and won't hunt until after Christmas, assuming we get the ok from the vet.
The down side is potential liver damage. We are most concerned with Harley as her enzymes where so high. She is currently taking medication to support her liver function. Molly is off the support meds now.
We appreciate all the good wishes and will keep you posted.

 

[DrMike]

Excellent report, SC. Good to know that you were able to care for their misadventure in timely fashion. It is easy to take veterinarians for granted; but they are a great blessing to modern people.

 

[tim629]

grew up in a household of vets (now married a vet technician)

my wife said they see quite a few dogs/cats where they will pick up a second hand exposure to the rat baits. rat/mouse eats bait, walks away, dog picks up the new toy and is now poisoned


not the same as the slugs, but just something to be aware of

 

[salmonchaser]

Tim629
Damn dogs will eat anything, they are continuing to improve thankfully. Today they chased each other around the property for quite a while, first time they have done that since they got sick. They're still sleeping a lot but the days activities are encouraging.

 

[Vince]

I'm sorry I missed this earlier.
You, and your dog's are in my prayers.
I know all too well how they become a part of the family. We are praying for a successful recovery.


Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[salmonchaser]

Took the girls into see the vet the other day for yet another blood test. The markers that had been so elevated have returned to normal or nearly so. Doc. said we can ease them back in on pheasant and their conditioning runs.
We appreciate all the support. Thanks
Don

 

[DrMike]

That sounds like a good report. Glad its working out.

 

[Cleburne]

Sorry to hear this about your family members, hope they make a full recovery.