Warning to pet owners as dog nearly dies from eating hot cross bun – grapes, currants and raisins can be toxic to puppies, vets warn
Veterinarians have issued an urgent warning after a dog almost died from eating a hot cross bun.
Hattie the Bernese Mountain Dog secretly grabbed the Easter snack after owner Paul Beckwith went to get some butter.
When he turned around, he saw the bun in Hattie’s mouth and ran over to pull it out. But the five-month-old dog had eaten it in just two bites.
The traditional Easter pastry can be deadly to dogs because raisins, currants and raisins are toxic to them.
Hattie was then rushed to the vet where she was given an injection to make her vomit – minimizing the fatal risk.
Hattie the Bernese Mountain Dog (pictured) sneakily grabbed a hot cross bun after owner Paul Beckwith went to get some butter
The traditional Easter pastry can be deadly to dogs because raisins, currants and raisins are toxic to them
Mr Beckwith, a civil servant from Witham, Essex, said: ‘I hadn’t realized how high she could reach.
“Hattie hadn’t grabbed anything before.
‘I knew how dangerous it could be when one of my niece’s dogs ate some raisins a few years ago and it was a matter of waiting to see if he would survive.
“Part of that was because it wasn’t noticed quickly, so I thought of the worst and knew I had to act quickly.
“When I called the vet, we were told we didn’t have long and had to get her right away.”
The warning comes as millions of Britons plan to feast on hot cross buns during the Easter holiday.
Veterinary group Vets Now said it had seen a 262% increase in cases of hot cross bun ingestion over last year.
Dave Leicester, head of telehealth at Vets Now, said: ‘All grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas can be toxic to dogs.
Hattie (pictured here as a puppy) was rushed to the vet where she was given an injection to make her throw up. Fortunately, she went home the same day
And potentially toxic to cats, and the dried versions of the fruit are more likely to be associated with severe symptoms.
‘Recent research has suggested that it may be tartaric acid that causes the toxic effect.
‘More research is needed before we can safely give a toxic dose, not least because the tartaric acid content of grapes and raisins is very variable.
“Just one grape, raisin, currant or sultana can be poisonous, so be careful with foods containing them.”
Fortunately, Paul was able to take Hattie home the same evening.
He added: “She felt quite sorry for herself when she came out, but she was back to herself the next day.
“There’s absolutely no way we’ll have hot sandwiches anywhere within reach and I’d certainly advise other owners to be very careful.”