A couple have been hit with an £800 emergency vet bill after their six-month-old puppy accidentally ate marijuana. Maureen and Bob Wakeman, both in their 70s, noticed their cocker spaniel Charlie was acting out of the ordinary when they returned from a walk in Steyning, Sussex.
Charlie slept and ate his dinner with his normal enthusiasm, but later sped round the garden in circles and became incontinent, before other symptoms also became evident. Owner Maureen told Sussex Live: "I am so very sad for all our lovely pets and very angry this has happened. I feel the need to share this with other pet owners."
The couple called their vet in Henfield who recommended the out-of-hours New Priory vet in Patcham.
Charlie was kept overnight in the animal hospital on October 2 after he was found to have ingested marijuana.
The following afternoon, Maureen and Bob were able to take Charlie home but were handed an £802 bill for his care.
"Fortunately, we've got insurance," Maureen said. "But some pet owners can't afford insurance nowadays, that's another problem. What do you do in that instance?
"I think of the poor pet owners who have bought a pet in all innocence and something awful like this happens. How do they cope with the financial side of it?"
Thankfully, Charlie is now safe at home and enjoying puppy life again with Maureen and Bob.
Though the couple are concerned that it could happen to them, and any other dog owners, again.
They want to use their scare to warn people to be extra wary and cautious on walks, even when nothing seems out of the ordinary.
"Our puppy enjoys the outside world, his nose is always glued to the ground," Maureen warned. "Can this happen again? My goodness yes.
"We need to be more vigilant and aware that our little Charlie was lucky."
Maureen added that having Charlie has made her more aware of the "dirty nation" where litter is "dropped without care".
She plead to drug users: "Please do not leave these unattended or left lying on the floor so our wonderful animals can ingest your habit."
Another vet has issued a warning to pet owners ahead of Halloween this year after a young dog almost died from eating dangerous human treats.
Oak the adorable two-year-old Labrador was nearly killed when he snuck into his owner's car while it was being unloaded with festive goodies.
The pooch tore open several boxes of Halloween sweets and wolfed down dozens of peppermints containing 100 percent xylitol - a sugar alcohol that is incredibly toxic to dogs.
Within minutes, Oak took a bad turn and began suffering from uncontrollable seizures with dangerously low blood glucose levels.
Thanks to the quick thinking of his owners and vets, Oak made a full recovery and is back home without any long-term health issues.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
