Dog on mend after eating plant poisonous enough to kill a cow

AWOMAN has told how her dog started shivering, vomiting and having fits after eating a deadly plant “strong enough to kill a cow.”

Now Amy Donnellan is warning others of the dangers of water dropwort hemlock (inset) – also known as “dead man’s fingers” – after her spaniel, Tia, took ill on Morfa Nefyn Beach, near Pwllheli, the weekend before last.

The 25-year-old from Chester said her pet had been playing in the sea when she saw her eat what she described as a “root”.

It turned out to be hemlock, which is highly toxic to dogs.

Amy said Tia started to “drag her back legs” before shivering, vomiting and having seizures.

Reliving the ordeal, she said: “I genuinely thought Tia was going to die.

“We called an out of hours vet and luckily we made it in time, otherwise I dread to think what would have been the outcome.”

Amy said Tia is still not back to her normal self but is making progress. She is urging all dog owners to be careful to avoid any risk to their pets.

“It’s highly toxic and can kill a cow if ingested and left untreated, so please be careful,” she said.

Amy said the root can look different in many ways, so pet owners should take extra care around any plants they don’t recognise. The root closely resembles a parsnip but the leaves look and smell like parsley.

An RSPCA Cymru spokesperson said: “Water dropwort hemlock is known to be highly toxic to dogs and can cause convulsions and may be fatal, while other hemlock plants can also provide a serious risk to dogs.

“To be on the safe side, it’s best to avoid walking dogs in any areas where there have been reports of poisoning. It’s also important that owners are aware of the signs and symptoms of poisoning and contact a vet straight away should they see any or have any concerns their pet may have eaten something harmful.

“Should you suspect your pet has been poisoned, the RSPCA advises owners to try and remain calm and if possible remove your dog from the source of poison.

“Taking a sample of whatever the dog has eaten can also be helpful but never put yourself in danger to do this.”