You are one moment away from a pet-crisis - a personal story

You are one moment away from a crisis situation

It was a Tuesday night (my birthday, by coincidence) and I had just come home from work. My long-term partner had gone out two hours before to run some errands. Due to the recent heatwave, it was far too warm for my two border collies to be put outside, so she decided to place them in our spacious kitchen, ensuring they had multiple bowls of water to keep refreshed and hydrated.

As many of you know, having two young puppies is no easy feat - they require constant attention, exercise and love. And, of course, on this warm Tuesday, they decided that they did not like being in the Kitchen, and would somehow (still unknown to myself) they managed to break down the protective baby-gate and escape into the house.

Whilst enjoying their newly found freedom, my female collie Dolly stumbled upon a black-bag of general waste that was ready to be taken outside to the bin. The bag was quickly opened; the contents ravished without a second thought.

When my partner and I returned two hours later, we found an awful sight. Dolly was led in pain, with a racing heart and uncontrollable tremors. She was in pain and unable to move. We quickly rushed her into the car and raced to the vets, praying she would be okay.

The vet saw her straight away, drew bloods and inserted a drip. We sat and prayed that she would make it through, however the vet was unsure as it was not clear what toxins she had consumed.

4 painful hours later, they informed us that she was responding well to treatment and was showing signs of improvement. The tremors had slowly settled due to the medication and she was responding positively to the anti-toxin medications given.

The next day, at around 4pm (18 hours after she had eaten the toxins) she was allowed out, though required 24 hours monitoring to ensure no other issues would come up.

24 hours passed with no problems, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders. It was a terrible thing to experience, especially for a vet to tell you that they weren't sure she would make it, and that they would fight for her life as hard as possible.

Takeaways from the situation:

1. Be proactive in ensuring there are no dangers in the house. A simple delay in moving a bag can result in a bad situation.
2. Pet insurance is a must. I had delayed ordering it, but now after the 500 pound vet bill I wish I hadn't
3. Appreciate your pets! I honestly thought she wouldn't make it, and it was a terrible thought.