Sugar and spice and all things ‘NOT’ nice
A CHRISTMAS cake became an almighty dog’s dinner when a hungry hound leaped five foot on to the kitchen table, pulled it down and devoured the potentially lethal pudding before being rushed to the vets.
When Dave and Sheila popped out for less than an hour they thought that the fruit cake they had slaved over and placed high on a work surface would be safely out of reach.
But Quinn the goldendoodle had already eyed it up and fancied himself a festive snack.
Determined to get his paws on the cake, he jumped up on to the surface, sank in his teeth and dragged it down to the floor where he set about tucking in.
When Dave and Sheila returned to their Jesmond home they found only a quarter of the cake was left and crumbs around the mouth of a sheepish Quinn, who had clearly enjoyed his time home alone.
But Quinn was not to know that staple Christmas cake ingredients such as raisins, sultanas and currants can induce kidney failure in dogs and could even be deadly.
Quinn was rushed to Westway vets in Newcastle where he was made to throw up the potentially lethal cake before it was fully digested.
The mischievous pooch is owned by Alistair Kendall, whose parents Dave and Sheila had been looking after him.
Alistair said: “Quinn is very mischievous and curious - and he loves food...
“He is absolutely fine after treatment at Westway Vets, who advised us to take him over immediately.
“He’s still looking for food, so we now have the second cake made by my mum in a cake tin and hidden in a cupboard.”
In the run-up to Christmas, most homes are full of extra food and drink and there are more cases of potentially fatal poisoning than at any other time of year, with cats and dogs rushed to vets after eating foods that are potentially toxic.
Common emergencies include dogs choking on turkey bones, and pets being poisoned by chocolate, mince pies, Christmas cake and pudding.
Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine that is toxic to dogs, while other festive hazards include poinsettias, pine needles, holly berries and mistletoe, which can all cause illness if eaten.
Westway Vet Clinical Director Helen Clark said: “During December, we see many cases of pets that have eaten something they shouldn’t have and the number increases as we get closer to Christmas Day. We see a lot of examples of poisoning over the festive period. In most cases, the owner was completely unaware of the hidden dangers and was simply intending to be kind to their pet.
“You don’t want a poorly pet or a trip to the vets on Christmas Day. Even worse would be losing a pet over the festive period, so we urge owners to be extra careful.
“We see a lot of cases of dogs stealing the Christmas turkey or taking chocolate from the under the tree, so it is important to keep food and treats out of reach of pets.”
Reporter