Vets warn of dangers for dogs coming in contact with sea hares after washing up on Geraldton beaches

Sea hares are a cause for concern for four-legged beach goers as they wash up along popular Geraldton beaches, with vets reminding pet owners to remain vigilant. Residents have posted to Facebook capturing hidden hares covered in sand, warning other beach goers of their location near Grey’s Beach in Point Moore. Chapman Animal Hospital’s Dr Kobus Vermeulen said while there wasn’t a lot of information available about sea hares, it was well-known that they were “very toxic” to pets. “Just touching one on the nose or licking it can cause problems for them,” he said. “It’s a very quick onset and within 30 minutes to two hours they begin shivering or becoming unwell.” Dr Vermeulen said sea hares were most commonly seen in Geraldton in January and February, but could be found year round. “If there’s sea hares on the beach, don’t let your dog off the lead because you have no idea what they smell, touch or eat, or totally avoid the beaches they’re washing up on,” he said. Midwest Vet Centre’s Dr Tara Craft said sea hares were a common occurrence on Geraldton beaches and in 2022 their clinic had treated bout five cases. “Large weather systems such as cyclones increase the amount washed up so they can occur all year round,” she said. “More often then not they appear on the more southern and central beaches like Back Beach and Separation Point, but we occasionally see them on the northern beaches such as Sunset and Drummonds.” Dr Craft said pets didn’t need to swallow the sea hare to become sick as the outer coating of the slime contains toxin, but swallowing would result in the most severe cases. “The best way to prevent dogs from being poisoned is being vigilant on beaches. Keeping on a long lead that you can control and prevent your dog from sniffing or licking anything,” she said. “If reports of sea hares are made, avoid that beach to limit the risk of exposure for a week or so. Lead-only walks during this time is also advisable.” In 2021, resident Irene Ghannage’s dog Elwood Paw come into contact with a poisonous sea hare. “I took one look at him and knew he was in a life-threatening situation: every muscle was shaking and he could hardly walk — it looked like a Parkinson’s case,” Ms Ghannage said. “I rushed him to the vet and they asked me about snail bait and rat poison which I don’t have. “Six hours later, after the anti-tremor meditation wore off, he was hungry and wanted to go home.” Both Chapman Animal Hospital and Midwest Vet Centre have not treated a dog for sea hare poisoning this year.