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

Photo: Pixabay

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.

Read also: PHOTOS: Budapest’s renewed City Park will have more green areas

Dog owners must go to the vet in cases like this

In such cases, dogs can only be rescued by a vet. During anaesthesia, the nail is usually taken out through the oesophagus. However, abdominal surgery may be necessary in more serious cases.

Such incidents have become frequent in recent times, but according to the report, such a problem was already present in the district last autumn. There were even some pets that died as a consequence. According to one interviewee, awareness of the situation has already been raised on social media. Also, warning signs have been put up on trees in the neighbourhood to alert dog walkers.

The police have opened an investigation, and the animal tormentor may face several years in prison.