Mischievous Beagle Pippa from Lincoln ended up in an oxygen tent after biting into her owner’s asthma inhaler.
The three-year-old pooch, who lives with over Kim Andrew on Old Pond Close, regularly steals things from around the house and hides them in her basket.
She got more than she bargained for though when she chewed on an albuterol inhaler she found lying under the bed.
Pippa was in a bad way after crunching down on the inhaler.
The medicine inside, which is used to open up the lungs in humans, sent her heart and breathing into overdrive.
Pippa was rushed to Vets Now in Lincoln and by the time she arrived her heart was beating at 240 bpm — around double the resting average.
The Beagle was given beta blockers to slow her heart down.
Owner Kim said she can now look back on the close-call with a sense of relief and hopes others will take note of the risks to dogs of the millions of inhalers in UK homes.
Pippa is quite a handful.
She said: “Both my husband Ed and I hadn’t realised that Pippa had disappeared and then we heard a heard a hiss and a bang from our bedroom and she came running out licking her lips like she’d had a treat.
“I think the bang must have been Pippa bumping into something when she got a shock. We went into the bedroom to see what she had got and when we looked under the bed realised it was an inhaler. She’d bitten through the canister.”
At first Pippa didn’t seem to have been affected by the incident, but things quickly took a turn for the worse.
They knew something was wrong straight away.
“Pippa seemed to be OK and had something to eat, but after about half an hour she sat down on the sofa and we could hear her heart beating — it was incredibly fast.
“Her breathing was getting faster too and that’s when we knew we had to call the vets.”
Kim called Vets Now in Lincoln, which provides emergency care for pets around the clock, and staff were on standby to help Pippa as soon as she arrived.
She was given medication for her heart and low potassium blood levels and placed in an oxygen tent during her overnight stay.
Pippa returned home feeling very sorry for herself.
According to Kim, she returned home the following day “feeling very sorry for herself”. This wasn’t the first time that Pippa’s mischievous ways have ended up with her receiving emergency treatment.
“She’s poisoned herself twice before,” Kim added. “The first time we think she might have chewed an acorn while we weren’t looking and the the second time was a problem with arsenic levels in our garden soil.
“She’s the world’s most unfortunate dog — and probably the most the most expensive.”
Principal nurse manager, Emma Panter, of Vets Now in Lincoln, warned other pet owners to take extra care if they have asthma inhalers in the house.
Her sense of fun and mischief was almost her downfall.
She’s a real character.
She said: “Pippa came into the clinic extremely tachycardic and required beta blockers to lower her dangerously high heart rate. Luckily, her owners brought her straight to the clinic.
“One inhaler can contain hundreds of doses for a human so you can imagine the shock a dog will suffer if they bite into one and digest the contents. Inhalers should be kept well out of reach at all times.
“Pippa is a lovely dog, but her sense of fun and mischief was nearly her downfall — it really could have been much worse for her.”
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.