Puppy Recovering After Overdosing On Owner's Heroin
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CARROLLTON (CBS11) - A puppy is recovering after Carrollton police say it overdosed on his owners' heroin stash.
Carrollton Animal Services has nicknamed the affectionate Chihuahua mix, "Lucky."
"'Cause he's such a lucky little dog," said animal care specialist Joe Skenesky.
Officers discovered the dog, along with the heroin, inside a car parked at Home Depot in Carrollton Saturday, after arresting its owners for switching price tags on merchandise in the store.
"He was extraordinarily lethargic, almost comatose," recalled emergency veterinarian Dr. Stacie Fowler.
"He was really on the verge of not breathing."
Dr. Fowler said the symptoms were typical of a dog that's ingested opiates, something she sees fairly frequently at the North Texas Emergency Pet Clinic.
"Really common. Every shift," she said of overdose cases. "We see a lot of marijuana toxicity, amphetamine toxicity, legal prescribed drugs that they've gotten into accidentally, like ADHD."
Animals most often survive after being treated for an overdose.
Lucky was in fact, "Lucky," that police found him when they did.
"If he had not received treatment, he would have stopped breathing," she said.
Now in the care of Carrollton Animal Services, he's bounced back.
"He's very outgoing, very playful, a little camera shy," said Skenesky.
The department hopes they'll be able to place him with a loving family.
Lucky's previous owners are now charged with fraud and drug possession.
Thomas Romero, 46, and Nina Crawford, 38, were arrested for heroin possession and for fraudulent destruction, removal, or concealment of writing.
Charges for animal abuse have not been ruled out.
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