TACOMA, Wash. — A small dog died at Owen Beach after ingesting a substance believed to be fentanyl, highlighting the dangers of discarded drugs in public areas.
Kenneth Gentili said was walking his dog at Owen Beach when the dog ate something under a bench near the kids’ play area, CNN affiliate KING reported.
“I was trying to grab her mouth to open it up. It was too small to even see,” he said. “Her hind legs collapsed. And then the front legs collapsed.”
Shortly after, the dog began foaming at the mouth and became lethargic.
“So she came out, walked a few steps, went right in there, collapsed and died,” Gentili said.
Veterinarian Cathy Corrigan, who oversees three pet hospitals, noted that fentanyl overdoses in dogs are not uncommon.
“Most pet dogs get into it at a park or in an alley because they’re eating something noxious on the ground,” she said.
Two good Samaritans assisted Gentili in taking the dog to a vet’s office, but it was too late to save the pet. The veterinarian suggested that the symptoms were consistent with a fentanyl overdose.
“She was dead in five minutes, but she was reacted within 30 seconds,” he said.
Corrigan explained that fentanyl is generally deadly to pets unless a drug reversal medication like naloxone is administered quickly.
”If it is fentanyl, it will happen within five minutes. What you’ll have is a dog that gets very sluggish and lethargic, tiny, tiny pupils. And by the time you figure out something is wrong, they usually are unconscious and they experience respiratory depression,” she said.
Parks Tacoma expressed their condolences and stated that they have alerted staff to keep a close eye out for discarded items, especially near play areas. Crews already perform wellness checks and litter clean-ups three times a day.
Gentili said he hopes that by sharing his story, other pet owners will be more vigilant.
“My mission is to let people know so that they can watch their dogs and be more careful,” he said.
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