Zena is an adorable and loving Rottweiler who lives with her family in Syndey, Australia. She knows exactly when her humans return from work, and Zena is always ready to greet them with a big smile and wagging tail.
So when one of them didn't see Zena waiting at the gate last weekend, they suspected something was wrong. And it was. Zena was lying in the back garden panting, trembling, and frothing at the mouth.
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The dangers of snail bait
They rushed Zena to the vet, who quickly recognised the signs of snail bait poisoning. Snail bait is used to keep slugs and snails out of gardens. It's highly toxic to dogs and other pets. Less than a teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight can be fatal.
The veterinary team rushed into action, using injections and a stomach pump to purge the poison from Zena's system. She was then transferred to an emergency care unit and monitored constantly.
A video post by Bondi Vet showed some of the distressing scenes. Zena looks absolutely terrified, shaking uncontrollably as vets try to save her.
It's heartbreaking to see a dog in such distress. But if that's not bad enough, Zena's owners think the poisoning was deliberate. Zena's people believe the next-door neighbours threw snail bait into the garden for Zena to eat. They'd previously complained about Zena barking.
How could anybody do this to a dog?
"They [the neighbours] could have said something to me," says Paul, one of Zena's owners. "But to kill a dog, which they would have done if we weren't home, is the lowest of the low."
Zena metabolised the poison and made it through the night. And although she was a little woozy the next day, Zena was up on her paws and even managed a little tail wag.
Zena is at home again and back to her old, happy self. She and her owners are moving into a new house very soon.
