Christmas pud peril for Marley

31 December 2019

Dog saved by PDSA vets after gorging on festive treats

A Staffordshire Bull Terrier from Stoke suffered a festive fright after wolfing down a Christmas pudding and box of chocolates.

Five-year-old Marley saw an opportunity to tuck into the toxic treats after his owner, Charlotte Bloor (68) and her daughter Polly (41), popped out to pick up her granddaughter from school.

Charlotte and Polly returned to find Marley with a half-eaten Christmas pudding and a mountain of empty chocolate wrappers.

The raisins, sultanas and currants in a Christmas pudding, and chocolate, are all potentially lethal to dogs. So when Marley devoured both the pudding and the chocolates, both Charlotte and Polly were frantic with worry.

They rushed Marley to Stoke PDSA Pet Hospital, where vets provided emergency treatment. Thankfully, he’s now made a full recovery but the family are warning fellow dog owners about the dangers of toxic treats this Christmas.

Polly said: “We had just been shopping and left the bag on the side while we went to pick my granddaughter up from school. I wasn’t gone that long but when I got back Marley was just sat there with the remains of the Christmas pudding and an empty box of chocolates.

"I panicked – this is our first Christmas with Marley and I thought we were going to lose him."

At Stoke PDSA Pet Hospital, Marley was put on a fluid drip to help dilute the toxins in his system and given medication to prevent absorbing any more. He was then monitored closely by PDSA vet nurses.

Andrew Hunt, Senior Vet at Stoke PDSA Pet Hospital, said: “Charlotte and Polly were both was aware of the danger and were quick to react when they realised what Marley had eaten. Things could have been much worse as the toxins from the Christmas pudding can cause kidney failure or even death in dogs if left untreated. The theobromine in chocolate can also be deadly.

“With the festive season here, many of us will have lots of treats, sweets and chocolates in the house. But while Christmas can be a time for indulgence, it’s important to remember that some foods are very harmful to our pets. Traditional Christmas foods like mince pies, chocolate, onions, raisins, grapes, some nuts, sage-and-onion stuffing and Christmas cake or pudding can all be harmful and should be kept safely out of paws’ reach.”

Polly wants to ensure other owners don’t have to go through the panic and worry she experienced. She continued: “We got Marley from a rescue earlier this year and he means the world to us. He’s such a sweet and loving dog who is a huge part of our family. From now on we will make sure any festive favourites are well out of his reach.

“Marley is now starting to get back to his happy, bouncy self and we are excited to spend our first Christmas together!"

Owners should speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they think their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.

To help pet owners keep their pets safe over the festive period, we have put together a downloadable Christmas survival guide, free to download here: www.pdsa.org.uk/xmas-survival-guide