WARNING after two dogs 'poisoned' during walk in Edinburgh park

One of the dogs is getting back to normal after the incident.

Dog walkers have been warned to be vigilant after two pets were admitted to an emergency vet following a suspected poisoning in Sighthill Park.

Terry Ann Stenhouse said she feared for the lives of her dogs, Robbie and Pork Pie, after they suffered seizures and were foaming at the mouth following the walk on Saturday afternoon.

Tracy Ann Campbell said she feared for the lives of her dogs, Robbie and Pork Pie, after they suffered seizures and were foaming at the mouth following the walk on Saturday afternoon.

Ms Stenhouse had gone out for dinner that night before receiving a distressed call from her 14 year-old.

Recalling the phone call with her son Nathan, Ms Stenhouse said: “My younger son had been at the football and was coming in to get his stuff because he was going out and he phoned at about half past five to say that Robbie was really not well.

“I phoned my mum to say that Robbie’s being sick and I phoned back to my younger son. At this point he was hysterical, so I asked “is he really that sick Nathan?’ and Nathan replied ‘Robbie’s about to die Mum’.”

Ms Stenhouse and her eldest son Dylan took Robbie to an emergency vet where they arrived to find the dog unconscious and having seizures.

'It was awful'

Despite being administered with anti-seizure medicine, Ms Stenhouse said the pet was “still unable to stand, still having all the tremors”.

They then returned home to find their young Chihuahua, Pork Pie, suffering the same symptoms.

Both dogs were kept at the vet for two nights, but mounting medical bills that had hit £1400 meant Ms Campbell could not afford any further treatment.

“I’m a single parent and I’m a nurse,” she said. “Money that I’d set aside for bills at the end of the month, I just had to pay it towards the treatment.

“The little chihuahua, Pork Pie, she’s back to normal.”

Ms Stenhouse said both dogs had been healthy before the incident.

“I don’t know if it was malicious poisoning, there was a lot of takeaway cartons and littering and rubbish,” she said. “It was awful because the vet said very often you won’t find out what the substance is.”

In a statement, the Scottish SPCA said: “We take all reports of this nature very seriously, however we have not had any reports of dog poisoning in this area.

“We would urge owners to be vigilant when walking their dogs.

Anyone concerned about the welfare of an animal should contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999."

Previous Poisonings

Previous poisonings have involved rat and rodent pellets, which are often blue, being left in areas used by dogs or even hidden inside sausage meat and other treats.

Glycophosphates used to clear weeds have also been linked to a number of incidents across Scotland.

In October, a dog died after consuming a mystery substance in Campbell Park in Colinton while in February a family pet could not be saved after a suspected poisoning in Waterfall Park, Dalkeith.

The Scottish SPCA previously warned dog walkers to keep their pets on a lead if they suspect there have been local poisoning incidents.

An investigator said: “The poisoning of domestic animals is a huge issue and we deal with a large number of complaints regarding poisonings and they are incredibly difficult to solve due to the nature of the crime.”