Dixie is at the vet with "caustic burns" to her mouth. It happened before in July of 2016, but not to the extent of this time. I have no clue as there is nothing she could have gotten into IE:household products. Common factor is July. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what might be growing/blooming in the Florida panhandle in July that would cause a caustic type of burn if eaten by a dog?? The vet and I would really like to figure this out. If Dixie isn't in the house then she is in her fenced run of an acre + or-. I live north of Panama City...NOT the beach.
TIA for any ideas. My girl is doing better today, but must stay at least another night so I'm fixin' to go visit...hope she doesn't get POd that she can't come home with me but Momma needs to see, hug and kiss her.

My neighbor's dog got burns to her mouth and esophagus. They had to do $1700 surgery to save her. She had gotten into the drip pan/can on the grill that also had lighter fluid in it. Like your dog, she did this twice. I hope Dixie heals soon.

Saw my baby...she seems to be OK with being there...liking the attention I suppose, but gave me the cold shoulder. LOL Her mouth looks awful, but better then when the vet first saw it yesterday which would have been after they close at noon...I dropped her off around 9am or a bit later...with no appointment. Worse, however, then when I dropped her off. The techs there love Dixie...one even went out and bought her turkey lunch meat for lunch. She is definately improving, but I sure do wish we could figure out what she got into and how...I hate the thought that someone might have thrown something over the fence. We may never know

I'm not in Florida Ginger but do you have toads? They can be toxic if a dog bites them or eats them.

We do Ronnie, but not the toxic ones in this area. The vet says from the look of her mouth she got into some kind of caustic substance. I called poison control because my son suggested that maybe she had gotten ahold of a venomus snake and ruptured its venom sacks thus causing the damage, but they said no. A real mystery. Thank you for the reply

Cheryl..for some reason I missed your post. WOW hope Dixie isn't that expensive. Called the clinic this morning when they opened at 9...Dixie is doing well and took her meds, but the vet hadn't assesed her yet so I don't know if she'll be comming home today or staying again tonight. I miss her like crazy, but live 45mins. away so need her to really, really be ready to come home.

I hope Dixie is okay and no internal damage

I think if they are feeding Dixie by hand she is going to be okay. Our neighbor dog had bad damage to the esophagus and it had to be repaired. Do you have a grill outside by chance?

I hope she's ok now, Gingin. That is really strange that it's happened twice. Really double check your plants and weeds. I'd sure hope no one was tossing bad stuff into your yard.

Well I may have figured it out as far as this time, but it wouldn't equate to two years ago...thinking July is just a fluke. Anyway I keep milk jugs in the screen room/porch. Some are filled with plain water while others have generic miracle grow in them and are labled as such.. Didn't really register when I took Dixie in but after checking the calendar I had fed the hanging baskets last Friday (7-6). One jug had sprung a leak...really CAN NOT remember if water or fertilizer or wheather I saw it then or earlier. Dixie was with me when I watered, but I did NOT see her go near the puddle on the floor (it's concrete). The timeing would be right if that's how it happened, but without actually seeing her lap it up I can't say with 100% certainty that that IS what happened. If in fact I hurt my baby then I feel lower then the belly of a snake. Jugs are now all empty and will stay that way...more steps for me when watering but I DON"T CARE!!!! This old body will get over it...Dixie may not have.

She is home as of yesterday afternoon...had to be force fed at the vet clinic, but once home ate what I made her with VERY MESSY gusto!! That's fine as messes were made to be cleaned up. LOL She has also developed "Horner's Syndrome" in the right eye. Vet isn't sure why or if it's related to the mouth issue. So we play the wait and see game of will it go away.

Her breath is quite nasty because of the burns, but it smelled like sweet perfume to me last night as her head rested on my pillow next to mine.

https://www.google.com/search?...

wow It could be that. I never thought of miracle grow being dangerous in that way.

I have had bags of it come with live fungus gnats in the unopened bags. I've also had moldy bags of it.

@Frillylily thanks for posting the link. My dinasaur won't let me access the various links within, but should be helpful to others. What I use is Expert Gardener plant food. It's Walmarts brand...it's cheaper then Miracle Gro and doesn't foam when you mix it up. In any case it didn't occur to me until a friend was here and suggested it as the culprit after reading the lable.
Dixie is doing better every day. YIPPIE!!! she even ate some raw carrot this morning when I cut it up to make her food. I *think* her eye looks a tad better, but that may be wishful hope from my heart.

I would think it would taste bad, why on earth would a dog eat it. But my dog is stupid and eats all sorts of awful things

true, but after the first taste the damage is likely done

Dogs do eat any number of awful things!

Dixie is doing really well...improving every day. Follow-up with the vet tomorrow. I'll let ya'll know what he says and then likely mark the thread as finished.

Dixie passed her follow-up visit with flying colors, although the eye isn't back to normal it is 100% improved. Tongue is only a tad red still way in the back. I need to finish the meds, but otherwise can treat her as a normal healthy dog. YIPPIE :-))))

That's such great news, Gingin.

Wonderful news Ginger