A Burnham-On-Sea resident has warned fellow dog owners to be vigilant about the dangers of nitrous oxide canisters discarded in the town.
Lainey Paul’s beagle, called Ruggers, became ‘agitated’ after eating one of the small metal canisters after walking in the fields next to Burnham-On-Sea’s Frank Foley Parkway.
Lainey told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We were walking in the fields during Friday’s snow and I noticed he spent a long time in one part of the field – I thought he was just eating some grass.”
“But after getting home, he became agitated a couple of hours later and he didn’t settle for the rest of the day.”
“I kept a close eye on him and he was still out of sorts on Saturday until he passed one of the canisters.”
“We were shocked and called Bridge Vets to find out if what he’d done was dangerous.”
“The vets said they’d never heard of a case like this, so contacted the poisons unit, who said they hadn’t heard of this before either.”
“They did say it was lucky the canister didn’t contain zinc or lead because if it had been pierced it could have caused my dog internal burns.”
Lainey added: “Ruggers has never eaten anything like this before, but I suppose you don’t know what they smell like to a dog.”
“I think local dog owners should be aware of the dangers of these discarded canisters. I see them about all the time, discarded in parks and on the beach.”
“Keep an eye out for them and check your dog doesn’t eat them.”
Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas that when inhaled can make people feel euphoric and relaxed.
The effects of the gas have seen it nicknamed “laughing gas”, but it can also cause some people to have hallucinations and other side effects.
Nitrous oxide is normally bought in pressurised canisters and is then transferred to a container such as a balloon to be inhaled, hence why the canisters are often seen discarded.
Pictured: Lainey Paul with her dog Ruggers and, above, the small nitrous oxide canisters that are often seen discarded (Wikimedia Commons)
