Owner warns of dried fruit danger after pet horror

Leah Mill, 59, of Corstorphine, discovered her one-year-old Tibetan terrier Sparkie had managed to get in to a jar containing raisins – which can be deadly to dogs. Just hours later, the terrier became very sick. Leah, who lives with husband William, 54 and son Daniel, 22, has so far spent £1000 on vet treatment since Sparkie fell ill two weeks ago and it is not yet known if she will survive. The warning comes weeks after a Labrador ran up a £8000 bill for life-saving surgery at Edinburgh University’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies after a similar incident. Leah, who has three dogs – Sparkie, sister Spookie and their six-year-old mum, Eddie – said: “I wouldn’t want any dog lover to go through what we’re going through. “We were out a bit longer than we had expected to be and when we came back home a jar of mixed fruit had fallen out of the cupboard and the dogs had managed to get in to it. “We thought they would have diarrhoea and be a bit ill, but the next again day Sparkie was in a really bad way.” Leah, who is self employed, rushed Sparkie to the emergency vet for treatment where it emerged she had suffered damage to her kidneys. She said: “I’ve got no idea how many raisins she ate, but the vet told us just one can tip a dog over the edge. “Every four hours I’m having to drip feed her because she won’t eat anything on her own. “We don’t know if she’s going to pull through so we’re just taking it each day as it comes – I’ve been crying non-stop since it happened. “I even phoned Asda and suggested that they should put some sort of a warning on the packaging of their raisins. “The public aren’t aware of how dangerous some foods can be – everyone knows chocolate is bad for dogs but there’s other foods like onions and broccoli which are also dangerous.” In March, five-year-old Labrador Charlie had to undergo life-saving surgery at the Royal (Dick) School after eating a packet of raisins. But owner Louise Middleton from Kirkliston – who spent £8000 on his treatment – was stunned when he bounced back. Tracy Hill, specialist in internal medicine and senior lecturer at the Royal (Dick) School, said: “Raisins and grapes are very toxic to dogs and can lead to kidney failure, which can be fatal. “Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea, which often develop a few hours within the grapes or raisins being eaten, as well as weakness, lack of appetite and abdominal pain. “If you think your dog may have eaten raisins take him to the vet as soon as possible for emergency treatment.”