By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
A local puppy survived a brush with paralytic shellfish poisoning after eating “beach snacks” off Sitka National Historical Park’s beach Sunday.
The 11-week-old border collie, Rosie, has a history of munching on various inter-tidal animals, said her owner, Maggie Dunlap.
“She loves to eat beach snacks, and I haven’t had a problem with it until now,” Dunlap told the Sentinel.
She said that within an hour of the trip to the beach, Rosie was lethargic, vomiting, and incontinent.
“After a little while we realized that she was not out of character, being a weirdo. Something was wrong,” Dunlap said.
She called the Sitka Animal Hospital and spoke with Dr. Toccoa Wolf.
“What I was describing was a textbook answer for what those answers would be from shellfish poisoning,” Dunlap said.
Wolf said that anyone who suspects shellfish poisoning in their dog should contact a veterinarian.
“If you suspect your pet has consumed toxic shellfish, or they are exhibiting symptoms after a visit to the beach, your best course of action is to contact your veterinarian. Many different toxins and diseases can mimic PSP and your veterinarian can best determine what response is appropriate... Treatment and recovery can depend on the individual animal and can be as minimal as observation and waiting for symptoms to subside but some severe cases can require hospitalization,” Wolf wrote in an email to the Sentinel.
Rosie, an 11-week-old border collie, became ill after eating a “beach snack.” (Photo provided)
She noted that signs of PSP can manifest within an hour of exposure and range from drooling and unstable walking to vomiting and paralysis.
A person died of PSP earlier this month after eating mussels and snails from a Dutch Harbor beach, the Department of Health and Human services stated in a July 15 release. DHSS said that this was the state’s fifth PSP human fatality.
“The most important thing is not to panic,” Wolf said. “PSP is a risk to be aware of but doesn’t mean your dog can’t have fun playing on the beach. If your dog is prone to eating shellfish on the beach, keeping them on a leash would be advised.”
Fortunately for Dunlap and for Rosie, the poisoning did not last long.
“She was totally normal after six hours,” Dunlap said.
She added that she knew about PSP, but discounted it as a risk for canines.
“I knew about it for people, but I’ve had dogs in Sitka my whole life and I had no idea it could affect dogs. I guess it makes sense, but I had never thought of it,” Dunlap said.
She suspected that Rosie consumed a number of small crabs on the beach. The State Division of Environmental Health warns against eating the viscera of a crab, as that part of the animal can contain PSP.
The Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research (SEATOR) Lab warns about the dangers of PSP, saying on their website that the “toxins can temporarily paralyze you, causing death in serious cases by making it impossible to breathe. Early symptoms include numbness and tingling in your lips and fingertips.”
Wolf recommended keeping a close eye on animals when on a beach.
“Keep a close eye on your dog when walking on the beach and discourage them from eating shellfish they find, no matter how tempting it may be,” Wolf said.
