MEDIA RELEASE

Urgent warning for gardeners and home renovators

The Lort Smith Animal Hospital is urging gardeners and home renovators to take extra care with their pets with the risk of compost toxicity expected to rise over the autumn period.

 

Three-year-old Mr Maltese Terrier, Mr Boof, has just been discharged from Lort Smith Animal Hospital after ingesting gardening compost and his indiscretion almost cost him his life.

 

As a result of consuming the compost Boof was diagnosed with Gastroenteritis—an inflammation of the intestine and stomach.

 

Lort Smith Animal Hospital Veterinarian Rebecca Hyland said Mr Boof was in a ‘’very bad way’’.

 

‘’He was showing signs of becoming septic, and going into shock,’’ said Dr Hyland. ‘’Ingestion of fertiliser can cause a range of symptoms in canine pets, including lethargy, drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and difficulty breathing – even death.’’

 

Mr Boof was treated with fluids, pain relief, antinausea medications and gastrointestinal protectants. He also had a plasma transfusion,

 

‘’With autumn being a traditionally busy period for gardeners, it is very important to keep pets away from fertiliser in sheds and on freshly fertilised garden bed,’’ said Dr Hyland.

 

‘’If you think your pet has ingested fertiliser, then please contact your vet right away. It may be possible to decontaminate the system if this is known about early and before any signs have developed.’’

 

His owner Mark said Mr Boof managed to escape from the side gate and get into the fertiliser.

 

“Mr Boof vomited something which looked like grey or black rubbish,’’ Mark recalled. ‘’He then started non-stop vomiting.’’

 

‘’It was really tough. We tried not to let the kids see how sick he was so we were very relived when he started making slow progress and improvements. They visited him almost every day although we live an hour away in Frankston.

 

‘’The hour drive was well worth the trip. I had no knowledge that it could make them so sick. At one point, I was bloody worried I’d killed my family pet.’’

 

 

MEDIA INTERVIEWS & CONTACT

Suzana Talevski: Head of Media and Digital Content, Lort Smith
Mobile: 0403 047 945
Email: [email protected]