Urgent warning for pet owners as massive lump of 'dog killer' washes up on beach
A man walking a dog on a picturesque beach in Cornwall was horrified to discover a shocking danger to dogs had been washed up.
The walker has warned that a large white lump of lethal palm oil he spotted could be killer for canines and wants fellow owners to be wary if they see the poison and make sure their pets stay away. The man said the white block "came up to my knees" when he spotted it on Perranporth beach, below the dunes past Perran Sands Holiday Park.
Luckily, he realised what it was and ensured his own pet kept well away from the lump. He said: "I knew what it was straight away because I’ve read and heard about it so many times but had never seen it myself. I was a bit shocked at how massive it was though. It was like a boulder, with a couple of bits broken off, but it came up to my knee and was twice as high as my size 11 boots."
The lump of palm oil came past the dog walker's boots (Submitted)He added to CornwallLive: "I had to shout at my dog to get away but luckily she wasn’t that interested. I know and understand it can be very dangerous for them to eat, maybe even deadly. This time of year there weren’t many people and pets around on a rainy day but at other times that spot would be heaving with dogs and owners and children, who would definitely be curious about it."
Whilst ingestion is not fatal for humans, it can be toxic and sometimes fatal to dogs. Palm oil is semi-solid and appears in white lumps and is waxy in appearance. It has a distinctive smell, similar to diesel. It can become contaminated with other waste products and because it is edible it can be attractive to some animals who can become ill after coming into contact with it.
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It is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products and as biofuel and can be legally released at sea by ships. The warning comes after a dog was killed after consuming an oil berg on Newgale Beach, in Pembrokeshire during the summer.
The substance can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, intestinal blockage, lethargy and in extreme cases, pancreatitis in dogs. Due to the solid state of palm oil, it is important anyone who suspects their dog has consumed some contact a vet as this could cause an intestinal blockage. This is considered a veterinary emergency and needs to be dealt with quickly. In some instances, when consumed in large quantities dogs have suffered from kidney damage and liver failure, so medical intervention is vital.
Even if your dog has consumed a small amount, monitor your dog closely and if they show signs of becoming unwell, contact a vet as soon as possible. If a member of the public believes they have spotted palm oil on the beach, they should dial 999 and ask for the coastguard to make a report.
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