David Scheuermann let his three dogs out into his backyard to play, but not long afterward, one-year-old Sofie became very ill. The dog began to gag and vomited three times, at which point the dog owner took Sofie to the veterinarian’s office for a checkup. Sofie was treated for gastric distress but two days later she got worse. At this point, Scheuermann rushed Sofie to an emergency veterinarian, but it was too late.
Little Sofie died from consuming Sago Palm, a plant commonly found in Louisiana and other states. Scheuermann admitted he had a Sago Palm plant in his backyard and a few more in the front of his home. He and his family had no idea the plant was incredibly toxic, but he wants posters put up in vet offices around the state and started a fundraiser to do so.
“All parts of the plant are toxic. We think that the highest concentration of the toxin is in the seeds themselves, but really any part of the plant is dangerous,” said Dr. Cody Mannino, a veterinarian emergency medicine specialist. “You see the effects of the ingestion within a few minutes to a couple of hours. If you see that severe vomiting and diarrhea and you have these plants in your environment, your red flag should be going off.”
In the event you suspect your dog consumed the Sago Palm leaves or seeds, time is critical, as liver damage can occur within two days with no way to reverse it.
For more about this story and how to protect your dog, press play on the video below.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Scheuermann family on their loss.
H/T: 4 WWL
