Urgent dog warning after pet nearly dies during beach walk after horror encounter with common hidden danger
DOG owners have been warned to be on the lookout after a beloved pooch nearly died during a beach walk.
Thornton, a 13-year-old chocolate Labrador cross was one minute happily playing along Treath Penrhos, in Anglesey, but was in utter agony the next.
The family pet had suffered a nasty encounter with a weever fish and had started pawing at his muzzle and eating sand as blood poured from his mouth and his condition became critical.
Weever fish are usually around 8cm long with the ability to deliver intense pain have already been seen on the beaches in North Wales.
Every summer they claim a handful of victims although coastguards say they are “nothing to be alarmed about” and beachgoers are advised to wear some type of footwear.
While what happened to Thornton is less common it shows just how serious the impact can be.
At the time dog lover Eleri Fôn Roberts was looking after the pooch on behalf of a close family friend.
The former nursing specialist, who at the time had four dogs of her own, said she took all the dogs to the beach because it was such a lovely evening.
Eleri, from Llanfair PG, and a friend strolled along the beach just north of Ynys Llanddwyn.
She told the Daily Post: “I noticed Thornton wasn’t keeping up and when I looked around he was pawing at himself.”
Eleri added: “He was frantic, eating sand to cool down his mouth. It was so scary. There was blood all over his paws too, it was difficult to know where it was coming from.
“I was petrified he was going into shock. He was vomiting black congealed blood. It was horrendous. It’s such a responsibility looking after someone else’s dog and I was so scared he wasn’t going to make it.”
Her pal raced to the car in order to bring it closer to the beach while Eleri tried to get Thornton off the sand while also trying to keep an eye on her other dogs.
As Thornton was too heavy to carry, she had to drag the poorly pooch across the sands.
With it being around 10.30pm Eleri said there weren’t many people on the beach to help her.
Weever fish – what you need to know
Weever fish are usually found at the water’s edge at low tide but can be anywhere on the beach.
They often bury themselves just under the sand, leaving their poisonous dorsal spines sticking out.
Jet skiers claimed last summer the poisonous fish stung 11 people in just one day on Black Rock Sands, Morfa Bychan, near Porthmadog.
Wild Swim Wales claims the pain they deliver can be “as bad as childbirth”.
Beach wardens have reported hearing grown men scream in agony.
To treat a weever fish sting, immerse the area in hot water and keep topping up with hot but not boiling water.
The worst of the pain starts around 30 minutes after being stung.
While it will ease, painkillers are advised along with antihistamines, if there is a reaction.
If tweezers are at hand, use them to remove the barbs. If not, use a debit or credit card to push the barbs from the skin.
In the worst cases, the victim can suffer swelling and bleeding as well as chest pains and difficulty breathing.
While these cases are extremely rare, hospital treatment is advised.
The risk to dogs is low but if they are stung, treatment by a vet may be needed to ensure all the barbs are removed.
She managed to call ahead to her vet, Steffan Totir, of Gaerwen-based Bennett-Williams vets and he was waiting for her at the door when they arrived.
Eleri said Thornton was immediately given charcoal to induce vomiting, as sand in the stomach can be fatal for dogs.
She added there was blood everywhere and black sand on the floor.
Steffan was convinced Thornton had picked up a weever fish in his mouth and had been stung by it.
The furry friend was prescribed antibiotics, painkillers and steroids for the swelling.
Eleri then took him home and nursed him through the night.
Luckily, Thornton made a quick recovery and by the following morning he was back to his usual self again.
Eleri says she is now much more careful where she takes her dogs and now goes to rocky beaches where there is little or no sand.
Fortunately, Thornton suffered no lasting effects from his sting nearly three years ago and will turn 16 in September.