Warning to dog owners: sausages spiked with nails scattered in Budapest

Several dog walkers found sausages pierced with nails in District 18 of Budapest recently. If an animal eats them, the nails can rupture its oesophagus and stomach. In such cases, immediate surgery is the only way to prevent the death of the animal.

Dog walkers spotted small pieces of spiked sausage in Péterhalmi Forest, as well as around Harghita Square and Béke Square. According to TV2’s Tények television programme, the police are investigating the case and the animal tormentor may face several years in prison.

There are more and more such incidents

According to the vet who was interviewed by TV2, more and more dogs are being brought to him for swallowing such baits. He said that swallowing such foreign bodies can be fatal if not noticed in time. Usually, in the case of such a problem, X-rays, ultrasound and endoscopy are used at the veterinary clinic to find out what the dog has eaten.

Swallowing sharp objects is extremely dangerous as they can cause multiple injuries to the body. According to the vet, nails can injure the oesophagus and then, if they get down into the stomach, the stomach wall. If the foreign body is sharp and small enough, it can pierce even the small intestine. “In this case, it can cause peritonitis, because bacterial infection can get into the abdominal cavity,” the vet concludes.