DOG OWNERS visiting Christchurch beaches have been advised to keep their dogs on leads after four palm oil ‘poisonings’ were reported at the beauty spot within 24 hours.

BCP Council and Hengistbury Head Rangers were notified on Tuesday morning after a large clump of palm oil was spotted by members of the public at Solent Beach.

If ingested by dogs, owners have been instructed to take them to the vets immediately as the substance can be fatal in large quantities.

The Riverside Veterinary Clinic in Tuckton have reported four cases of dogs coming into their surgery showing symptoms commonly associated with palm oil in the last 24-hour period.

Dr Reza Sadeghi from the veterinary practice said: “We had one dog here on Monday night and three were brought here on Tuesday morning. I think one had been walking down at Highcliffe and the other three were from Hengistbury Head.

“Luckily we managed to see to them quickly and make them sick to get up most of the palm oil.

“The one from Monday night has recovered well and is fine and the three that came in yesterday were all sick and, the last time I checked with the owners, they seem to be OK.”

The edible vegetable oil is used in processed foods, toiletries and as a biofuel, and is harmless to humans.

Bournemouth Echo: The large palm oil boulder recovered by BCP Council's seafront team from Solent beach on the morning of Tuesday February 16

However, when washed up on beaches, palm oil, which can also be used as a tank cleaning agent for large ships, is often white or yellow in colour and looks like waxy pebbles or boulders.

Whilst palm oil is not poisonous to dogs, it does have a laxative effect and, if eaten, can cause sickness, diarrhoea, dehydration and, in extreme cases, pancreatitis.

It can also cause blockages in the gut due to its semi-solid state, and some dogs have become seriously ill and died after ingesting palm oil.

These so-called blobs typically smell like diesel and may be contaminated with other waste products.

Dr Sadeghi added: “It is not the first time we have had cases of palm oil poisonings brought into the clinic but it was a bit of a surprise to have so many in such a short amount of time.

“For the owners, it is usually that they have noticed their dog has swallowed something. Dog owners are usually quite vigilant, but some do not know what has happened.

“We advise dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead, even it is a an extendable one, and if they see something that looks like palm oil, contact your vets and the council.”

The Echo has previously reported palm oil clumps being washed up on shores along the south coast, but no deaths have occurred in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area.

However, a dog died in December 2020 after swallowing palm oil on Weymouth Beach.

BCP Council have thanked the member of the public for spotting the potential hazardous blob and have reminded dog owners to “remain vigilant” when visiting the seaside.

Councillor Mark Anderson, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Cleansing and Waste, said: “We’d like to thank the member of the public who reported the palm oil on the beach at Hengistbury Head to us this morning.

“Our Beach Cleansing and Seafront Ranger teams carry out daily checks of the shoreline and were quick to respond, removing a large piece of old palm oil that we believe was washed ashore during the recent stormy weather.

“It is not uncommon for palm oil to wash up along our coastline throughout the year and we would advise dog owners to remain vigilant and report any suspected palm oil to us so we can respond accordingly.’’