Vet's advice after dog owners report poisonings

Dr Emily Nightingale said time is of the essence when it comes to helping a pet that has been potentially poisoned

A vet offered advice to concerned dog owners after some reported their pets had been poisoned in parks.

In June, Ipswich Borough Council said residents had been in contact about suspected dog poisonings in public green spaces.

However, a council investigation found no evidence to support claims of deliberate poisonings, despite some owner reporting that their pets had died.

Dr Emily Nightingale, owner and founder of Nightingale Vets in Ashbocking, near Ipswich, said a range of items could poison a pet and time was important in helping them.

"Not a lot of people are aware of those toxins in the home," Dr Nightingale told the BBC's Morning Live team.

"If we take the example of rat poison, if we know that the patient has only just eaten it, we can make them sick, and they'll bring this blue stuff [up].

"It means their stomach is essentially empty and they won't absorb the actual toxic compounds."

She explained items such as grapes, onions and anti-freeze could also poison a pet as well as chocolate.

Other items, including products used within chewing gum and vapes, could also hurt animals, she said.

Pet poison helpline

For any owner concerned their dog had been poisoned, Dr Nightingale recommended immediately seeking help from a vet or calling the Animal PoisonLine.

It is a specialised emergency telephone service that operates 24 hours a day.

"They're linked to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service which is a veterinary database of all the known poisons with up-to-date data and all the right information," Dr Nightingale added.

She said time was a major factor in supporting a pet who may have been poisoned.

"Time is of the essence - the earlier our patients are seen, the more likely we can get the right diagnosis, the right treatment on board which means the whole treatment period is shortened and they get better quickly which costs less overall."