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Veterinary

Cat nearly dies after eating lilies

A cat in Glasgow has experienced a narrow escape after consuming lilies. Vet charity PDSA stepped in to save one-year-old Oscar.

Oscar’s owner Chloe Morrison received a bouquet of flowers from her partner. She said: “I got up the next day and Oscar’s face was bright yellow, I had no idea what it was until I went into the kitchen and found the flowers strewn around, all chewed.

“I’d read somewhere that lilies could cause problems if eaten, so I rang PDSA to check. I was shocked when they told me how dangerous they were. The vets advised me to bring Oscar straight in.”

PDSA Vet Nurse, Lizzi Mackie, explained: “Sadly there is no cure for lily poisoning. Ingesting just a small amount can be fatal. Tests showed Oscar had kidney damage already. We were doing everything we could, but Oscar’s life hung in the balance.”

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Following treatment from vets and nurses Oscar’s kidney function slowly improved and several days later he was allowed home.

Vet nurse Lizzi continued: “Oscar was very lucky, and I’m sure his successful recovery was partly due to the speed his owner got him to PDSA. It could easily have been a very different story. Lilies are particularly dangerous to cats; even getting a small amount of pollen on their coats, which they then ingest when grooming, can prove fatal.

“My advice to anyone who thinks their pet may have eaten something they shouldn’t is to call your vet straight away – it may mean the difference between life and death.”

Veterinary charity PDSA treats 470,000 pets annually across its 51 Pet Hospitals. To support PDSA’s vital work text PAWS to 70111 to donate £3* or visit www.pdsa.org.uk.

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