Pat Courtney and her dog Cocoa, who was rushed to a vet in Auckland and in intensive care for three days after being poisoned. Photo / Supplied
Marijuana is being blamed for an upsurge in dog poisoning in two Coromandel towns.
A five-day ordeal and $15,000 veterinary bill has prompted Pat Courtney to warn other dog owners of the risk of poisoning.
Pat's 17-month-old German pointer Cocoa is beginning to regain her sight and is now fighting pneumonia from slug bait poisoning, which she narrowly survived after being put into an induced coma on oxygen for three days during lockdown.
It is the second time that Cocoa has been poisoned - the first case being due to cannabis poisoning.
"At CoroVets, we have noticed a recent increase in toxicity cases, particularly since the country went into lockdown," said CoroVets vet Lisa Hamilton.
"The majority of these cases have been seen in dogs from Pauanui and Tairua, with the biggest culprit being marijuana toxicity. These dogs have either been on off-lead walks with their owners or gone for a wander after briefly getting off their properties."
Hamilton said it was important that owners kept a close eye on their pets to prevent them roaming.
They should also not be afraid to say if they suspect cannabis as the cause.
Poisoning from dogs eating cannabis was among sources she saw several times a year.
She said some toxicities present with very similar clinical signs.
"Many of these dogs quickly develop neurological signs, including dilated pupils, tremors, impaired balance and co-ordination, vomiting and diarrhoea. Some toxins induce more severe neurological signs such as seizures, blindness, hyperthermia (increased body temperature), aspiration of vomited material and can be fatal if not seen by a vet quickly. A common feature of marijuana toxicity includes involuntary urination and drowsiness."
A case in Opoutere, however, was from brodifacoum bait for rats and possums.
Other causes included gardening products like slug bait and blood and bone, but also from home compost such as coffee grinds, and chocolate.
It is the caffeine and theobromine in cocoa products that caused poisoning in dogs.
Hamilton said it was essential that owners sought immediate help if they suspected poisoning.
"We've definitely seen poisonings, but the dogs have been roaming or got into something they shouldn't have."
Cocoa was among the worst cases the Whangamata-based vet had seen.
"Her back legs were collapsing and her head was shaking and we know now that's a sign of being poisoned," said Pat, who says Cocoa had escaped and roamed along the estuary towards Royal Billy Point in Pauanui before getting ill.
Pat has a page for lost and found pets and says five dog owners had been in touch after their dogs fell very ill since Easter.
She and husband John rushed Cocoa to Whangamata's CoroVets, but the dog almost didn't make it.
"She had a massive seizure halfway there at the Opoutere turnoff and we thought we had lost her."
After initially thinking Cocoa had been stabilised, the couple were asked to pick her up and transport the dog to Auckland for intensive care.
"I was like an ambulance driver," says Pat. "As soon as she was off the syringe of medication she would have another seizure."
Cocoa was in an induced coma at a vet in Auckland. The bright-green diarrhoea was the key clue in determining the cause of Coco's signs: metaldehyde toxicosis, or slug bait.
Donna Satner, another Pauanui resident, said exercising her four-year-old Dalmatian dog Lux had become a worry after he, too, was poisoned and nearly died.
Donna has lived permanently in Pauanui since last year's lockdown and before moving from Cambridge, had never had any problems with poisoning.
She has ordered a muzzle because she's now worried he'll get sick when he goes for walks.
"Our property is fully fenced, we're really careful with gates not being left open, but he's a purebred and a guts - he will eat anything."
There had been suggestions poisoned rabbit carcasses were to blame, and berries, slug slam in Tairua and cannabis, but nothing has been tested.
"I just panic now, you don't know what they're getting into when he goes into a bush."
In Tairua, Jane Spicer said the family had become distracted doing work from home during lockdown and would be keeping a much closer watch on their 18-month-old German pointer Pepe, after the pet was poisoned a week ago up Tairua Heights.
"She was shaking, vomiting, had diarrhoea and the next day after treatment by the vet she was still very unsteady on her feet with neurological symptoms.
"The whole house was on Zoom calls working from home, and she managed to slip away," she said. "It's about being more vigilant and making sure she has her shock collar on."
Thames-Coromandel District Council confirmed it is not running any pest control programmes using poison bait in Pauanui or Opoutere, and a spokesman said they're not aware of any bait placed on council property.
"When we do run these types of programmes we put up signage to let residents and visitors know. If somebody believes there is pest control bait on council land they can get in touch with us on 07 868 0200 or customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz."
Hamilton said she could not comment on community concern in both Pauanui and Tairua that there may be some intentional poisoning of animals occurring, but is advising pet owners and gardeners about what they can do to protect animals.
Pet owners
• Keep dogs contained or on lead for their own safety, particularly in suspicious areas.
• Just like everyone, we like to consider off-leash areas to be safe, but keep a close eye on your dog.
• Please try to keep your cats indoors, particularly from dusk to dawn.
• Consider getting pet insurance.
Gardeners
• Consider signposting and/or fencing your property if you are using baits or other chemicals.
• Consider using Quash instead of other metaldehyde-based slug baits, as this is less toxic to pets.
• Use caution when adding coffee grounds and/or blood and bone meal to gardens that may be accessible to dogs.