Saskatoon vet clinic worried dog was baited with rat poison

The quick-thinkingof anurse with Frontier Veterinary Services may have saved a dog's life on Wednesday.

The nurse was walking one of the veterinarian's dogs, Doris, in the alley behind the vet clinic, which is not far from the intersection of Circle Drive and Idylwyld.That's when she noticed the bullmastiff gobbling something it picked up off the ground that looked like meat.

She suspected it was meat and tried to get it out of the dog's mouth but wasn't able to stop the animal from eating it. There was a blue substance in the meatwhich looked like rat poison.

it's very important to keep an eye on what they're doing and what they're possibly putting into their mouth- Stacey Lemieux

The staff at theclinic treated the dog immediately by inducingvomiting.

Rat poison interferes with the blood's ability to clot, so Doris wasput on medication to prevent thatfrom happening.

"It's sad, really," said Stacey Lemieux, one of the veterinarians at the clinic. "It's not the first time we've seen it happen. There are cases that have been reported in the past of tainted meat, and you know, it's sad that somebody would ever consider doing that."

Lemieux said they are planning to send the substance away for testing to confirm it is rat poison. She is concerned because the alley is also used by a nearby dogdaycare.

"When you're out on walks, it's very easy to lose track of your dog, it's very important to keep an eye on what they're doing and what they're possibly putting into their mouth," said Lemieux.

She added that owners should take their pets to the veterinarian as soon as possible if they have any concerns about the animals eating anything suspicious.

According to the clinic'sFacebook page, it will be setting up a camera to monitor any future suspicious activity.