With many of us heading to the coast and enjoying the dog beaches, now is a timely reminder to dog owners that blowfish (blowies or puffer fish as they are also known) are extremely toxic to our canine companions. While blowies are known to wash ashore, many are caught by people fishing and discarded on the beach where they can be ingested by dogs.
Today we received a call from a community member whose golden retriever ate a blowie off Guilderton dog beach that had been discarded and nearly died.
Blowfish, like toadfish and blue-ringed octopus, contain a very deadly poison called tetrodotoxin which can cause severe illness, paralysis, and death if consumed. Tetrodotoxin, which is a central nervous system toxin, is found on the skin and internal organs of the blowfish and is approximately 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide.
Poisoning symptoms start within 10 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion and include vomiting, excessive drooling, wobbly walking, muscle tremors and seizures, difficulty breathing, and eventually complete paralysis.
What You Can Do…
When walking your dog on the beach, ensure it is on a lead or closely supervised.
If beach fishing, do not discard unwanted blowies on the beach where they can be touched or eaten.
If you suspect your dog has come into contact with a blowfish, take it to the vet immediately. With urgent treatment your pet will likely recover, but any delay may be fatal.
For more information on blowfish poisoning, please see link below to the Perth Vet Emergency’s website: