A DOG owner has issued an urgent warning to fellow pet owners after his beloved pup suffered horrendous facial burns after coming into contact with a toxic plant.
RSPCA rescue dog Bronco struggling to find home
Sign up for FREE for latest news plus tips to save money and the environment Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Winston, a flat-coated retriever, developed painful sores on his nose and left eye on a walk in Essex last month. The four-year-old dog started developing the wounds after sniffing around a suspected giant hogweed plant, which can cause blindness, painful burns and blisters if it comes into contact with dogs or humans.His owner Barry O’Connell, 75, has urged pet owners to be vigilant and stay away from the plant, which is found throughout the UK.He said: “Looking at him like this is like seeing a Rolls Royce breaking down.Don’t Let Your Dog Ride in the Back of Your Truck Unrestrained. An estimated 100,000 dogs die each year from riding in pickup beds each year, and that doesn’t take into account all of the injuries seen each year. Dogs in pickup beds are also at risk of being hit with debris that can cause injuries.
"We live in a popular seaside area. You imagine letting your dog or children out and then they run into something like this and it's game over.
"I just can't understand why there aren't any warning signs. Not to scare people but to educate them."
Keep an Eye On Your Dog Around Water (Especially Pools). Not all dogs are great swimmers, and when it comes to pools they can be very dangerous for a dog. Keep an eye on your dog if they’re out in the yard by the pool and make sure your dog knows where the steps in & out of the pool are.
The pup has since been put on antibiotics and has a cone around his head to help his recovery.
Giant hogweed is a common cow parsley-like plant often found along hedgerows in the UK.
The weed’s harmful sap can have devastating effects when it comes into contact with animals and humans, and can cause blindness, burns, blisters and life-changing scars.
READ MORE: Touching photo of dog carried to safety by family escaping Ukraine war
Giant hogweed looks similar to cow parsley, though much bigger.
The plant can grow as tall as 15 feet. It has hollow stems between two to four inches in diameter and can spread between one and two metres wide.
Hogweed flourishes in hot weather, when the plant grows across Britain.It is native to the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia.DON'T MISS:Brexit LIVE: 'Putin was happy' Furious Tusk lashes out at Boris [LIVE]Bodies of 2,500 Russians transported to Belarus in secret [LATEST]Putin could set up 'concentration camps' in Ukraine - chilling warning [BREAKING]For easy tick removal, apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball and swab the tick with the cotton ball for a few seconds.
Trending
It was first introduced to the UK in the 19th century. The plant can now be found throughout much of Britain, particularly river banks.
The sap can cause blistering that potentially lasts for years, according to the Woodland Trust.The charity advises avoiding physical contact with the plant and seeking medical help if blisters do appear.
Put a ball in your dog's food bowl if he or she eats too fast. They be forced to move the ball around to get to all the food.
Related articles
- Rescuers refusing to give up on dog already returned once
- Touching photo of dog carried to safety by family escaping Ukraine war
- London's loneliest dog finally finds a forever home