pixie921
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2008
- Messages
- 2,365
I'm just posting this hoping it saves someone else from making the same mistake dh and I did this past weekend. We were running errands and decided to grab McDonald's on the way home. The McD's is close to our house and dh often stops in for lunch, so they sort of "know him" there. While we were waiting for our food, he was chatting with the mgr. and teasingly mentioned that they'd shorted him a meat patty on his double burger earlier in the week. Well, to be sweet, she put a free double into our bag, and we didn't realize it 'til we were home.
Ds wasn't there, so we had no one to give the burger to, so dh decided to chop it up and add to the dogs' kibble as a treat. They of course devoured it.
A few hours later, one of our dogs started vomiting. A lot. I mean, I hadn't seen that amount of vomit since our son had been ill as a toddler. The dog became lethargic and his ears were hot to the touch (turns out he was running a pretty good fever). Monday we took him to the vet, and she diagnosed him with pancreatitis (sp?). He is on anti-emetics, antibiotics, Gas-X, and pain meds. He also only gets a meatball size serving of prescription canned food every hour and a small amount of water. We've had to monitor him very carefully, because it is life-threatening.
In discussing how this could've happened, the vet was questioning us about what he'd been fed. We told her about the burger and she said that it was the likely suspect. She said McD's and Wendy's are the greasiest, fattiest burgers around, and that dogs should never be fed that type of food. We got a (well-deserved) lecture on not feeding them table scraps, and NEVER again giving them anything greasy or fried, especially not fast food burgers.
So, that's my PSA. We never dreamed we were putting our sweet old dog's life at risk by giving him a "treat", and have been beating ourselves up over it ever since. If this keeps someone else from the doing the same, then at least something good will come from it.
He is doing much better, BTW, and is getting back to his old, perky self. As for our other dog, she's fine, but I'm pretty sure that's because she's secretly part goat.
Ds wasn't there, so we had no one to give the burger to, so dh decided to chop it up and add to the dogs' kibble as a treat. They of course devoured it.
A few hours later, one of our dogs started vomiting. A lot. I mean, I hadn't seen that amount of vomit since our son had been ill as a toddler. The dog became lethargic and his ears were hot to the touch (turns out he was running a pretty good fever). Monday we took him to the vet, and she diagnosed him with pancreatitis (sp?). He is on anti-emetics, antibiotics, Gas-X, and pain meds. He also only gets a meatball size serving of prescription canned food every hour and a small amount of water. We've had to monitor him very carefully, because it is life-threatening.
In discussing how this could've happened, the vet was questioning us about what he'd been fed. We told her about the burger and she said that it was the likely suspect. She said McD's and Wendy's are the greasiest, fattiest burgers around, and that dogs should never be fed that type of food. We got a (well-deserved) lecture on not feeding them table scraps, and NEVER again giving them anything greasy or fried, especially not fast food burgers.
So, that's my PSA. We never dreamed we were putting our sweet old dog's life at risk by giving him a "treat", and have been beating ourselves up over it ever since. If this keeps someone else from the doing the same, then at least something good will come from it.
He is doing much better, BTW, and is getting back to his old, perky self. As for our other dog, she's fine, but I'm pretty sure that's because she's secretly part goat.
You got off cheap - even with a vet in the family who was able to administer IV's and such at DD's house after the first 48 hours (she had just returned from CA), the initial vet bill was $1,000.. Everyone has strict orders to NEVER give him anything other than his vet approved dog food and treats..
But I **love** Wendy's burgers!! 
