[pyrnet] no bread for Bobo...

[Oliverslb@aol.com]

I thought I should send this after telling you all about Bobo's solution to 
the drooling problem - apparently, a loaf of bread is not the best way to 
go...
Regards,
Bobo's Mom

Subject: Attention Holiday Cooks - No Bread Dough for Dogs

From: ASPCA news-alert <news-alert@list.aspca.org

ATTENTION PET OWNERS--BREAD DOUGH A NO-NO

As the holidays descend upon us, there'll be many cooks in the kitchen--but
don't spoil your pet by giving him bread dough. According to Jill A.
Richardson, DVM, of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), when
bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in
the stomach. As alcohol is produced during the rising process, the dough
expands. Pets who've eaten bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat,
vomiting, disorientation and depression.

"We once had a case in which a Labrador retriever ate several rolls that the
owner had placed on the oven to rise. The owner didn't think much of this,
and was just upset that the dog ate part of the holiday feast," Richardson
recalls. "A few hours later, the owner noticed the dog looked very
lethargic. He was resistant to move, uncoordinated and was retching."

As the symptoms increased, the owner brought him to an emergency clinic,
which contacted the APCC. Unfortunately, the dog's stomach was so severely
distended that the only option at the time was to surgically remove the
dough; he was also treated for alcohol toxicosis, caused by the fermentation
of the dough. The Labrador was kept at the clinic for the weekend and
recovered completely.

Although he had ingested quite a bit of dough, an animal needs to eat only a
small amount to cause a problem, because bread dough can rise many times its
size. Please take care not to let Fluffy or Fido in the kitchen unsupervised
when you're baking this holiday season--especially if you've got a
professional chowhound who's always on the lookout for food.

In addition to offering information online at http://www.napcc.aspca.org,
the APCC also runs an emergency hotline--1-888-4-ANI-HELP--that provides
round-the-clock telephone assistance.

Feel free to copy and forward.

Susan Cosby