From NCJ Daily
Dogs Dosed by Junkie Poop?
A
few weeks ago we ran across a passionate Facebook comment from a Hammond Trail hiker whose pup had been “poisoned” by eating human poop. “Vet took samples of what my dog threw up and her diarrhea ... Found mushrooms and pot. My vet said if it had been heroin laced feces it would have been fatal for dogs. The Vet said they are seeing 2 to 3 dogs per week that have been ‘poisoned’ by ingesting drug laced human feces out on local beaches and trails.” At first, we scoffed. But then New York Magazine came out with an article about dogs potentially getting sick from eating heroin-laced poop in Prospect Park. We made some calls. None of the vets or animal rescue groups we called (five in all) had any idea what we were talking about. Dr. Breeann Flores, a veterinarian with Broadway Animal Hospital, was kind enough to check in with some of her colleagues and thank us for such an interesting email. “Both Dr. Tavares and I have not treated a dog for toxicity secondary to narcotics present in human feces,” she wrote. “There are many toxins, mainly dogs and sometimes cats, will ingest that can have similar signs those articles were describing such as marijuana, Xylitol in chewing gum, bakers chocolate, coffee and rat poison.” Katie Benson at the Sunny Brae Animal
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Myth of the Sleazy Car Salesman
Clinic does see a lot of animals who are sick with marijuana toxicity. The animals may have eaten their owner’s stash, munched on a live plant, a roach or edibles. “They act drunk, have a low heart rate, low temperature, are hypertonic, have seizures,” she said. Sometimes they see as many as two to five animals a week suffering from marijuana toxicity. And the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals does list human feces as a potential source of marijuana toxicity. Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director at the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, said while it does occasionally get calls about dogs who fell ill after eating poop in public parks, far more cases involve animals who chowed down on adult diapers or colostomy bags. “The types of drugs or things that can cause problems are things that still have active metabolites that are excreted through the stool,” she said. “Medications that will pass will include marijuana, a lot of our anti-depressants, Parkinson’s medications. With opioids or narcotics it really depends on which ones we’re talking about and if it’s excreted through the stool or not. Methadone is partially excreted through the stool. But it depends on the dog and how much it weighs, how much poo … they ingest, what kind of dose is actually there.” — Linda Stansberry POSTED 11.25.15
— Linda Stansberry
Jacks Defeated: After a first round win, the Humboldt State University Jacks were routed Saturday, 54-7, by the No. 1 ranked Northwestern Missouri State. Playing in Maryland, Missouri, the Jacks record-setting offense was all but stuffed, held to a single touchdown in the fourth quarter off a blocked punt. POSTED 11.29.15
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Even though it’s caused some would-be customers to storm off, Bob Crivello of Bob’s Fine Cars says his logo of a “hood Mafioso character” will continue to grace his used car shop’s sign. The image, selected in the 1950s as part of an inside family joke, is nostalgic to customers and Crivello. POSTED 11.26.15
PalCo Marsh Update: The consolidated homeless camp behind the Bayshore Mall hasn’t seen increased tensions, according to reports. Meanwhile, as winter storms set in, volunteers with Friends of the Marsh say they served lunch to over 200 people recently, and a new self-identifying survey for homeless people is causing controversy.
Still Waiting on Molestation Conviction: More than two years after a Humboldt County jury convicted him of 11 child molestation charges, Timothy Floyd Littlefield is still waiting to learn his fate. A California Court of Appeals will decide whether a declared mistrial will stand, setting Littlefield up for a potential third criminal trial on the charges.
POSTED 11.30.15
POSTED 11.27.15
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Digitally Speaking: The percentage of Humboldt’s registered voters who cast ballots in the November election. That’s a higher turnout than four other November elections in the last 12 years. 2013 saw the lowest turnout in recent history with 21.71 percent of registered voters. POSTED 11.24.15
12 NORTH COAST JOURNAL • Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015 • northcoastjournal.com
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They Said It:
Comment Of The Week:
“Troy dedicated his life and put his heart and soul into his effort to protect and restore the Klamath River. He will be greatly missed by all.”
“I always thought he was the customer, not the salesman. Interesting!”
— Yurok Tribe Vice Chair Susan Masten, on the tribe’s Executive Director Troy Fletcher, who died on Nov. 18. POSTED 11.24.15
— Heather Burger, commenting on Broadway’s iconic logo for Bob’s Fine Cars. POSTED 11.26.15