There'll be many cooks in the kitchen next Thursday—but don't spoil your pet
by giving him bread dough. According to veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal
Poison Control Center (APCC), when bread dough is ingested, an animal's body
heat causes the dough to rise in the stomach. As alcohol is produced during
the rising process, the dough expands. Pets who've eaten bread dough may
experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression.
Take the case of the Labrador retriever who ingested several rolls that his
pet parent had placed on the oven to rise. The owner didn't think much of
this, and was more upset that the dog ate part of the holiday feast. But a
few hours later, the owner noticed that the dog looked very lethargic. It
wasn't long before the canine was reluctant to move and was retching.

As the symptoms intensified, the owner brought him to an emergency clinic,
which contacted the APCC. Unfortunately, the dog's stomach was so severely
distended that the only option at the time was to surgically remove the
dough; he was also treated for alcohol toxicosis, caused by fermentation of
the dough. The Labrador was kept at the clinic for the weekend and recovered
completely.

Although this dog had ingested quite a bit of dough, an animal needs to eat
only a small amount to cause a problem, because bread dough can rise to many
times its size. Take care not to let Fluffy or Fido in the kitchen
unsupervised when you're baking this holiday season—especially if you've got
a professional chowhound who's always on the lookout for food.

In addition to offering poison prevention tips online, the APCC also runs an
emergency hotline—(888) 426-4435—that provides round-the-clock telephone
assistance.

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