BEWARE PEANUTS!

21 comments

I had a terrible experience today while changing and cleaning the bird feeders.
I had taken the old peanuts out and refreshed them as usual the dogs were running about sniffing here and there.
I went in and thinking all was well started to get ready. Saw wee Zorro ( 9month old pup) lying on top of my clean clothes. Went over to shoo him and couldnt believe my eyes! he was lying on his tummy flat out and his tongue out as far as he could get it he was panting, and very limp when I called him he didnt respond.
PANIC! I looked at him and thought at first he was frothing at the mouth but on closer inspection it was chewed up peanuts!
I looked in his mouth, but by this time he was unresponsive and couldnt stand. I was frightened to do anything as he obviously was getting a small amount of air in but just not enough.
I quickly phoned my vet who told me to meet her at surgery as quickly as possible. She wasnt sure if it was a toxic reaction to the peanuts or if one had stuck in his throat. I ran and jumped in car ( Jammies and slippers I might add)
When I got there He was taci cardic and just unresponsive. When checked he just hardly moved I was panicking!
The vet phoned the poison lab to find out if he could be suffering a reaction to the peanuts.
While she was on the phone I had to keep holding him and I talked blew at him nuzzled and rubbed at him. He gave a wee kind of burp like noise.
The vet came off phone and checked him again telling me that it has been known for dogs to take convulsions and in very rare cases liver failure after a dog eating a lot of peanuts. But emphasised that most cases it was not clear how many or if salted etc etc.
We gave him a small sip of water to see if he could swallow and lo and behold he managed to swallow. His heart rate started to come up and although he was disorientated and shaky on his legs and feeling very sorry for himself and just not very agile he seemed to be coming round.
Zorro is very small and vet is pretty sure a peanut had lodged in his throat only leaving enough room for a small amount of air to go in. but thankfully the fact I found him so quickly probably the rushing around etc has dislodged it the proper way down. ( dont want to think what if it went the wrong way or didnt move)
I had to keep him warm and near me for the rest of the night ( which is exactly what I have done) At the moment he is running about a bit better and trying to eat. his bark is not so piercing! lol
He has to be watched and hopefully he will soon be fine!
Trust me I will make sure he is nowhere near when I’m filling the birds peanut cages!

before the peanut problem!

23 Jan, 2011
2 likes

Comments

Terratoonie

So glad that little Zorro seems to have recovered well, and thanks for warning everyone about dangers of peanuts..
There are many other foods which dogs should not eat, such as chocolate and grapes...

23 Jan, 2011

Bloomer

How awful,poor little thing.You must have been terrified..How glad to see Zorro is recovering,and your quick thinking saved him.I'm sure all other pet lovers will be glad you posted this warning..

23 Jan, 2011

Sixpence

I have put I like that Zorro has recovered and for the warning.

Thats great news Marydoll that Zorro has recovered for you, I specially bought a blender which has attachments for chopping nuts to very tiny peices for the birds, so as the young fledgelings dont choke on them, perhaps if you are continueing useing nuts for the birds would be a good idea to do this, then if by chance Zorro manages to ever get to them again at least she won't get one stuck as you can never tell, some one could mither you while that is happening she could excape as dogs are clever they always find away back to what they like the taste off, but perhaps and hopefully he has learned his lesson. Hope you are ok after all this take care of yourself too.

23 Jan, 2011

Bloomer

I know about chocolate,Terra,but not about grapes..are they toxic to dogs,or is it the pips..?

23 Jan, 2011

Joanella

oh dear Mary, good job you acted so quickly & i am glad it turned out ok.. it could have been far worse, good of your vet to see him right away too ..he is soo cute..:o)

23 Jan, 2011

Gee19

So pleased little Zorro is making a good recovery. I will be very careful from now on that all peanuts go in the right place. Thanks for the warning.

TT, I knew about chocolate but I didn't know about grapes?

23 Jan, 2011

Terratoonie

Hi Bloomer, Gee, and everyone...
Yes ... grapes are toxic to dogs ..
Tomorrow when my eyes aren't so tired, I'll put a longer list of items which are toxic to dogs ...

23 Jan, 2011

Marydoll

Good idea about the blender will defintely try that I know I have bought the ready chopped ones before but they are quite a bit more expensive-- but wont mind that now certainly worth a tryg ! Still shaken He is a very special wee dog to me! He seems to be taking the long way round the garden at the moment away from the feeders so hopefully he has put 2 and 2 together! lol

23 Jan, 2011

Marydoll

Thanks T>T> also the vet warned that salted peanuts are worse for the dogs because the salt can cause the convulsions!

23 Jan, 2011

Sixpence

Make sure Marydoll you enquire before purchasing one that it chops nuts not all do, so pleased to hear about the detour seems he has learned already good.

23 Jan, 2011

Milky

So lucky you spotted it so soon and reacted fast........

23 Jan, 2011

230338

thankyou for the advice and hope zorrow fully recovers . He looks a very loving little doggie.

23 Jan, 2011

Lincslass

Gosh Marydoll, thank goodness Zorro is ok, they do know how to put us through the mill don`t they.
The birds in our garden refuse to eat the peanuts if I leave them whole, so I put them through a handheld meat grinder, its years old but perfect for that purpose and a lot cheaper than an electric blender..

23 Jan, 2011

Linsuffolk

So pleased it ended with a very happy ending Marydoll, thanks for informing us all so we can be aware. Hope he's back to his usual self again.

24 Jan, 2011

Hywel

Oh ! :o( That must have been a shock for you. I'm pleased you have a good vet. I hope Zorro is all right now. I think I'd give the birds something else instead.

24 Jan, 2011