Beagle Bounces Back After Feasting on Fish Oil
Last July, in a rush to set down all of the groceries inside the house, Julia McGary of Snohomish, Wash., didn’t realize that she accidentally left one of the grocery bags on the garage floor. A little while later, she noticed how unusually quiet it was inside the house and went to see what her rescue beagle, Lizzie was up to. As Julia opened the door to the garage, she saw that Lizzie had got into the leftover grocery bag and, after closer inspection, managed to pry open the lid to a bottle of fish oil capsules.
To Julia’s shock, the fish oil bottle was empty and mischievous little Lizzie had eaten 130 capsules. Julia immediately called the emergency veterinarian who said that the capsules would likely only give Lizzie diarrhea. Although the prognosis left Julia somewhat relieved, she decided to take Lizzie to the veterinarian, where after vomiting up some of the capsules; Lizzie went home in much better health.
“We made it back home and she smelled a little like tuna for a day or two,” joked Julia. “I do put fish oil in my dog’s dinners, but I didn’t think she would be able to smell through the sealed plastic. Maybe she was just hoping to get lucky. We were thrilled she didn’t seem to have any side effects from this episode.”
The fish oil capsule fiasco was just the latest in a string of unusual eating episodes for Lizzie. She has opened and eaten (with a little help from Julia’s other beagles) an entire jar of vacuum-sealed dry-roasted peanuts, a jar of spaghetti sauce (pictured below) and even part of an empty Diet Coke can. Fortunately, only two of the incidents have required a trip to the veterinarian.
“I don’t think the vet has been overly surprised because beagles will eat just about anything,” explained Julia. “Our vet has been great with Lizzie and my other dogs as well.”
Julia is pleased that she opted to get pet health insurance to help manage the unanticipated bills from the veterinarian as a result of the incidents. “VPI Pet Insurance has paid for itself,” said Julia. “I highly recommend it to other pet owners.”
Five-year-old Lizzie is in good health, and although it’s almost been a full year since her last episode, Julia will be prepared just in case she gets her paws on something that requires another trip to the veterinarian. “Lizzie is doing just fine, she’s a true beagle,” said Julia. “It takes a lot to slow her down.”
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