Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: Our 9-month-old Dalmatian puppy ate part of his tick collar when it accidentally slipped off.

At first, we didn’t realize what happened but noticed he seemed very sleepy. Within 30 minutes he could barely raise his head when you called his name.

By a miracle, we discovered the buckle and remains of the collar and quickly rushed him to the veterinarian. They induced vomiting, filled his stomach with charcoal (to absorb the poisons) and gave him the poison’s antidote. His heartbeat was very low. He had only eaten about an inch of the collar and almost died.

We were very lucky because we knew the brand of the collar, got our puppy to the vet right away and he responded well to the medications. I want your readers to be aware of how dangerous tick collars can be.

The buckles can easily loosen up and the collars can slip off. We now know to watch our dogs closely when they are wearing these collars. - Peggy Stordahl, Fargo, N.D.

So many dogs wear flea and tick collars, I thought it best to check with a doctor from the Missouri State Public Health Veterinarians. He recommends that before buying any flea or tick collar, ask your veterinarian what type is suitable for your pet. It’s very important, especially for skin-sensitive puppies, what type of collar, if any, can be put on them. - Heloise