Olive recently visited us for an out of hours emergency appointment. Read her story here –
Beware of the Bins!
It started with a moment of mischief. While the food-waste bin was being cleaned out, eight-year-old Spaniel Olive saw her chance—and took it. “Mum!” came the shout from downstairs, “The dog’s shaking”. And shake she did—mild tremors rapidly escalated into full, generalised shaking, and Olive was unable to stand.
She was rushed to Oathall Veterinary Group’s emergency service, where every minute mattered. Olive had likely ingested a neurotoxin, so we acted fast—administering an intravenous fatty emulsion to act as a “sink,” drawing the toxin away from her nervous system. We also ran blood tests using our on-site laboratory equipment to rapidly rule out other causes (some unavailable at many vets), and kept Olive hospitalised, closely monitored, and cared for by our team without the stress of transferring her elsewhere overnight.
Neurotoxins can be found in more places than many owners realise: mouldy or decomposing food in bins and compost, slug pellets, rodenticides, certain plants, drugs dropped on walks, and even algae in stagnant water. Curious dogs that scavenge, sniff, and taste the world are especially at risk, so bins, gardens, and outdoor spaces are all worth a second look.
After a few days, Olive made a full recovery and went home, though probably none the wiser about scavenging!
Emergencies can happen to anyone. Olive’s care cost around £1100. Have you thought about what you’d do, or how you’d pay, if the unexpected happened to your pet too?
We are thrilled to her that Olive is now back to her normal self
