WARNING! Zinc poisoning in dogs!

[Sheba]

I ALWAYS KNEW DOGS WERE ATTRACTED TO PENNIES, BUT I NEVER KNEW WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME!

[villiger2]

hey i think on the main page u should have a topic IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTICES or something it would be much easier than having to look thorou all the sections

[Colleen]

I have a 19 month old Pomeranian that has had surgery (2) times in the past 6 months for eating coins. The first time was in July, my puppy started with loss of appetite and then she starting taking seisures. She became very week and after many trips to the Vet we went to a animal hospital, they admitted her for 3 days and on the second day they did a X Ray. That is when the found the coins and operated, she swallowed a penny, nickel and a dime. After removing the coins she need 2 blood transfusions because the zinc attacked the red blood cells that incident was a total of $2800.00. She recovered with no side effects. The day after Thanksgiving she started to take seisures again, we knew right away and immediately took her to the vet, he did a XRay right away and sure enough there was another foreign body. Her red blood count was dangerously low so we had to go directly to the animal hospital. They did surgery that day and fought a penny that was 2/3 rds digested. The hospital had to do another transfusion. This time we needed to check her Lead and Zinc Levels, very costly. We also take her 2 times a week to her regular vet to check her blood levels. The lead levels came back within normal limits, however the Zinc level is off the charts. We repeated the Zinc test on friday with the hope that the level has come down since the first test which was done four days after surgury. This time our cost is currently at $3900.00. There is alot of people that think we are crazy for spending what we have on our puppy when I also have 4 children, but what do you do, she is just as much part of our family and we love her like one of the children. When the zinc results come back, if they are still dangerously high, we need treat her with some procedure that I do not know anything about to bind the zinc in her body. This has really been a experience like you can't imagine. Who would ever think that a penny can do so much damage.

[pugpuppylova]

Wow i never new that ill put that to mind!

[thewhitewitchone]

My pup swallowed a penny a couple of months ago. I never saw it pass (not saying it didn't). How long would it take before she showed any signs of zinc poisoning? Does anybody know? Now I'm worried.

Pam

[rowdy ridgeback]

Wow. I am always picking up change off the laundry room floor. Was the dog a Lab? LOL Labs eat everything.

[TEve]

Thanks for the info, I didn't know pennies could be so dangerous.

[tobylittledude]

Oh, that is so good to know! Now I have another reason to tell my boyfriend to stop leaving his change everywhere!!

[carlar]

I never knew that, thanks for posting about it. I will be sure to keep my pennies and nickels off the floor for sure now.

[tinies12]

Wow! This sounds so dangerous! Thankyou for bring in it to my attention! Sue