Mabel rushed to emergency vets after eating uncooked dough
An adorable Cockapoo puppy needed life-saving treatment after she swallowed potentially deadly pizza dough.
Mischievous Mabel swooped when her owners dropped the dough while getting ready to use their outdoor pizza oven — which have become a must-have for homeowners with gardens during lockdown — for the first time.
Unbaked dough can be lethal to dogs because it expands in the tummy, leading to potentially severe bloating.
As the yeast ferments, it also produces carbon dioxide and alcohol which can result in poisoning.
Now Mabel’s owners, Lucy Trewinnard and her wife Claire, are warning other pet owners of the potentially lethal danger it can pose.
Their warning is especially relevant given the astonishing boom in popularity of pizza ovens during lockdown.
Sales at some retailers have risen by as much as 1400%, as families spend more time at home.
Luckily, Lucy and Claire were alert to the possible risks of pizza dough. Seconds after the incident, they were on the phone to our pet emergency clinic in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, which is near to their home.
Our team arranged to admit seven-month-old Mabel straight away and, on arrival at the clinic, our team carried out a series of checks. They then induced sickness to get rid of the food.
The drama occurred at 1pm on a Saturday afternoon as Lucy and Claire celebrated Claire’s birthday.
Lucy said: “Since we got Mabel we’ve been really vigilant with things like onions and garlic which could harm her but I never expected a bit of yeast could be so tricky.
“It was undoubtedly the most expensive pizza we’ve ever had, but the main thing was making sure that Mabel was safe.
“We couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her. She’s become such a big part of our lives already.
“The night we got back from Vets Now you could tell Mabel was feeling a bit sorry for herself and she kept giving us the ‘feed me please’ eyes.
“But by the next morning she was pretty much back to normal – running around crazy, burying things down the sofa and playing with the squeaky Santa toy she got for Christmas.”
While eating unbaked bread dough can result in a bloated stomach in pets, in some cases it can also lead to gastric-dilatation volvulus, or GDV, which is a potentially fatal twisting of the stomach.
In addition, the alcohol from the fermenting yeast can be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing dangerous drops in blood sugar, blood pressure, body temperature and potentially even seizures.
Senior vet nurse Anna Moran, who was part of the team at Vets Now in Tunbridge Wells who treated Mabel, said her owners did the right thing in urgently calling for veterinary help.
“The thing about yeast – which is what gives bread its fluffiness – is that it’s a living organism and, if swallowed by a dog, it continues to expand and that can cause serious health issues. Even small amounts can be dangerous.
“Mabel was a lovely little character and we were pleased to be able to help her. We’re also glad to hear the incident didn’t totally ruin Claire’s birthday.”
All of Vets Now’s premises always have a vet and vet nurse on site.
We also offer an online video consultation service to make professional veterinary advice more easily available.
While the service is not suitable for life-threatening emergencies, our experienced vets are available to discuss any worries or concerns pet owners might have.
If your pet needs an in-person follow-up appointment at any vet practice, we will refund the online consultation fee, so you never pay twice.