A THREE-year-old Maltese Terrier is on the mend after eating toxic compost at his Frankston home.
Boof was admitted to the Lort Smith Animal Hospital after ingesting the gardening compost. After a brush with death, Boof was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and has now been discharged.
Boof’s owner Mark and the hospital have issued a warning for people to take extra care to avoid exposing their pets to toxic compost. “Mr Boof vomited something which looked like grey or black rubbish,’’ the dog’s owner said. “He then started non-stop vomiting.
“It was really tough. We tried not to let the kids see how sick he was so we were very relieved when he started making slow progress and improvements. They visited him almost every day although we live an hour away in Frankston. “The hour drive was well worth the trip. I had no knowledge that it could make them so sick. At one point, I was bloody worried I’d killed my family pet.’’
Lort Smith Animal Hospital veterinarian Rebecca Hyland said “ingestion of fertiliser can cause a range of symptoms in canine pets, including lethargy, drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures and difficulty breathing – even death.’’
“With autumn being a traditionally busy period for gardeners, it is very important to keep pets away from fertiliser in sheds and on freshly fertilised garden bed,’’ Dr Hyland said. “If you think your pet has ingested fertiliser, then please contact your vet right away. It may be possible to decontaminate the system if this is known about early and before any signs have developed.’’
First published in the Frankston Times – 15 April 2025