Thread: Blasted labradors eat anything

Last Sunday evening, our current guide dog, which we are caring for, vomited up a piece of red towelling - of course, on the carpet. We searched the house and garage for any remnants of said towel and found nothing. We had no idea where it came from.

We took him to Guide Dogs where the vet X-Rayed him and found more towel in his system. Also, rather suspicious small round black spots were noticed. I soon sussed the source of the spots - the dog had eaten steel chads that had escaped from a weight bag used at the local coffee shop.

The vet gave the dog an injection which caused him to throw up within 2 minutes. More towel. We took him home with instructions to watch him in case threads got twisted in his intestines and to check his droppings for the steel discs.

The next day saw more towel come out at the rear as well as some metal.

Oh, as we put the dog back into the car, my wife moved a red towel. It had a piece about twice the size of a face washer chewed out of it. He'd eaten that in the 10 minutes it took us to get home from the coffee shop on Sunday morning.

Very early this morning, he threw up again. But this time, it was an evil-smelling dark grey goop - again on a mat. It had a chemical smell to it. Cleaning up was more difficult as it was oily. I took the mat outside. Water only removed some of it so I used degreaser. I searched the house and garage and couldn't find anything he'd been into.

Labs usually pick stuff up and parade around with it or they leave remnants of what ever they have eaten. Not this time.

We rang the Guide Dogs vet and she told us to take him straight there.

So back to Guide Dogs with a sample of the muck. They thought it was diesel fuel. When a sample was mixed with water, it separated out and floated to the top. They have him at the moment on a drip. They were concerned that if the material is oil based, and it got into his lungs when he threw up, it would coat the lungs and prevent him getting oxygen. There is no fix.

I came home and searched the garage again. The little squeeze bottles of diesel I use to start my wood fire in the garage hadn't been touched.

But....... I found a plum pudding can next to the wood heater and which had been 1/4 filled with old engine oil, was now empty. I suspect he's slurped it down and the black carbon in the oil is what has coloured the vomit.

We just have to hope he recovers - he's worth about $35,000 and was due to go out a client in the next couple of weeks.

We've had guide dogs which have, in the past, eaten rocks, etc., but never oil.

I feel guilty and responsible for leaving it there.

Originally Posted by trout1105

I know a couple ( same as yourself) that looks after the lab pups untill they are old enough for training.
This is mostly a thankless task and it breaks their hearts when they give the dog back.
I take my hat off to you Mate, Good on you for doing this

X2

I would love to do it,but couldn't do it as myself and the wife wouldn't want to give them back.
Particularly if they were pups when they arrived.

The dog squad do the same with the sniffer dogs,put their pups out to homes for 12 months,then bring them back for evaluation.
The ones that are then not kept are sold off.They are mainly Labs,Springers,or Labs crossed with Springers.
They also use some re homed dogs of any breed,from animal shelters.


My sons Koolie has been to the vet numerous times for eating things.
The last time was a chocolate cake,it ate the whole thing.
Then spent a night at the vet.