We consider our pets to be part of the family. They are always there by our side, through thick and thin. The loss of a pet can be just as upsetting as the loss of a human – and when a pet passes unexpectedly, it can be absolutely devastating.
That is exactly what happened to a Colorado family, when their seemingly healthy dog died immediately after a family hike.
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Screenshot via KDVR-TV
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It isn’t uncommon for dogs to nibble on vegetation when frolicking outside, but after one person’s dog shockingly died following a hike at Horsetooth Reservoir in Larimer County, Colorado, veterinarians have a warning for pet owners.
The three-year-old border collie mix, had gone on a hike with its family along a common trail winding around the reservoir. All of a sudden, the dog began exhibiting odd symptoms that confused the owner, Ludi Fischer, a friend of the dog’s owner, told KDVR-TV. The dog’s owner didn’t realize that the dog had eaten a highly poisonous plant that killed the canine in less than an hour.
“It started to go down rapidly with her losing all functions and she passed out. She couldn’t stand up anymore. She was panting very heavily. Her eyes were out. I mean, you couldn’t tell she wasn’t there.”
Screenshot via KDVR-TV
Sadly, the dog’s owner attempted to seek immediate help from specialists at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, but the dog died on the way there. The owner allowed experts to conduct a necropsy, which identified the dog’s cause of death as consumption of a water hemlock plant. This plant is one of the most lethal plants in North America, Dr. Dawn Duval, department of clinical sciences associate professor at Colorado State University, told KDVR-TV.
“It’s a plant that grows in very moist areas, around ditches and lakes. This dog just got unlucky and kind of started playfully chewing on a plant that shouldn’t be chewed. Water hemlock is not a plant that would be particularly appealing to dogs.”
Screenshot via KDVR-TV
If chewed on or consumed completely, water hemlock causes drooling, seizures and muscle twitches. Other symptoms include dilated pupils, agitation and respiratory paralysis. Just a couple of leaves ingested by a large dog from this plant can kill it within two hours.
Even more surprising, dogs can be poisoned simply by drinking water that has come into contact with exposed water hemlock roots. One additional item that’s important to note is that the plant sports green spiky leaves, but also produces white flowers in the spring.
Here is more information about this sad story.
Veterinarians advise pet owners to keep their animals away from water hemlock and keep a close eye on them when enjoying the outdoors. But if water hemlock is accidentally consumed, contact a veterinarian and begin emergency measures to induce vomiting. The toxicity from the leaves will begin attacking the body immediately.
Source: KDVR-TV, Image Source: Flickr/JustJefa
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Owner Confused When Dog Passes Away Suddenly, But Vet Immediately Knows What Happened
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