Help Needed! Blossom Has Taken Up A New Bad Habit

[Vikinggirl]

Hi everyone, I'm having a new bad experience with Blossom, she is my female who has always been very food motivated, she can't wait to eat her food, whines like crazy at meal time, but doesn't usually eat stuff or objects like her brother Dozer, he has always eaten things he shouldn't like socks, and outside he tends to pick things up like sticks, leaves, rocks, grass clippings and chewing gum. Blossom hasn't had this habit until now, for the last couple of days, whenever we take her for a walk, especially when we walk over to the plaza, there are always cigarette butts all over the ground, and Blossom never bothered with them before, but for a couple of days she's been picking up cigarette butts, and she tries to swallow them, I can take them out of her mouth, she will let me, but she immediately seeks out another one. Its also really gross, because the butts are all soggy and they stink. I don't know why all of a sudden after two years she would start doing this, but my big worry is that she will get sick if she swallows them, as cigarettes are poisonous to dogs. Has anyone else had this experience with their dogs?

 

[2BullyMama]

that is so strange that she suddenly has an interest in them.... nothing else, just the cig-butts??

 

[Texas Carol]

Weird, Monica, will pray over sweet Blossom to lose this desire.

Love, love, love your avatar...so fitting & GOD bless you for sharing
your gift (and light) with us.

 

[KMARINO]

Going to copy and paste but this is what I found, Not so good

"The toxic level of nicotine in dogs is 5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight. The butt of a cigarette can contain from 4 to 8 milligrams depending on the length of the butt and the content of the original cigarette. Cigarette butts have a deceptively large amount of tobacco relative to the size of the butt as smoking concentrates some of the nicotine in the cigarette butt."

It appears that the level of toxicity depends on various factors such as the dog's weight, the cigarette brand and the amount ingested. While many dogs will vomit shortly after ingestion, some may develop very worrisome symptoms such as:

Instability

Weakness

Tremors

Hyperactivity

Drooling

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Seizures

Collapse

Inability to breath

Death (in severe cases)

Treatment

So now that you have witnessed your dog ingesting cigarette butts what to do? If your dog ingested a toxic amount, has not vomited and the ingestion occurred less than 2 hours ago you can induce vomiting using 3% hydrogen peroxide and consulting with your vet for proper dosage instructions. However, in many cases hospitalization is required. Dogs affected by nicotine toxicity may require a gastric lavage, IV fluids and activated charcoal. Sever cases may require a ventilator to allow breathing

 

[Vikinggirl]

Oh Man, thanks so much for this information, I knew cigarettes were poisonous, but didn't know the extent of what could happen. She started doing this two days ago, it's so weird, she has never done this before, and I've had her for two years. I've been watching the ground when we walk, to avoid them, and I've been taking them out of her mouth, Thank Goodness she will let me, but I'm so afraid of her swallowing them and getting sick. How do you avoid every cigarette butt on the ground?

 

[bullmama]

Bummer you have to deal with this, maybe if you start picking them all up the person who is throwing them all over will stop if they see you. Sounds like a pain


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[Vikinggirl]

Yeah it sure is a pain, because the butts are everywhere on our walks, but especially at the plaza outside the stores and The Tim Horton's Restaurant. There are so many butts and you'd never be able to see who is throwing them. I even see the employees throwing their butts when they are on their breaks. They should provide a receptacle for customers cigarette butts, because it also looks bad to have discarded butts all over the front of your store.

 

[bullmama]

Yeah it sure is a pain, because the butts are everywhere on our walks, but especially at the plaza outside the stores and The Tim Horton's Restaurant. There are so many butts and you'd never be able to see who is throwing them. I even see the employees throwing their butts when they are on their breaks. They should provide a receptacle for customers cigarette butts, because it also looks bad to have discarded butts all over the front of your store.

There is an idea right there! Talk to the store owners and let them know how bad it looks. Maybe they will put one out there?


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[Vikinggirl]

That's a great idea Lisa. Thanks, I'll talk to them as a customer, and let the manager know how bad and dirty this looks outside their business.

 

[Momma2Bullies]

I seriously don't know why so many smokers think the world is their ashtray. It is disgusting and no those things aren't biodegradable! It is really gross. Good idea to suggest to shop owners about ash cans - maybe even something worth bringing up to your city councilor.

Monica Blossom and Bulldozer are so like Layla and Wilbur!!! Same thing with Layla at mealtimes, and Wilbur puts every single thing he can find in his mouth (and often swallows it). Layla is the chewer, but she spits out the thing she chews (like the soggy ripped corners of my NEW throw cushions Grrrrr!!!) so at least I know she hasn't swallowed them.