In Rare Case, UK Dog Becomes The First To Be Treated For Alcohol Addiction

A dog in UK's Plymouth who became hooked to alcohol has become the first canine to be treated for alcohol addiction. According to Newsweek, the two-year-old Labrador cross named Coco got addicted to alcohol as his owner had a habit of leaving his drink out before going to sleep.

After his owner died, Coco was found by vets with another dog hooked on booze and was taken to the Woodside Animal Welfare Trust after suffering from canine alcohol withdrawal. Vets said witnessing a dog with alcohol withdrawal was "a first" for them.

Unfortunately, the other dog later died, but Coco was put under intensive treatment. The dog spent four weeks sedated to help ease his withdrawal symptoms and to reduce the risk of further fits.

In a Facebook post, Woodside Animal Welfare Trust sought a new home for Coco, and narrated what transpired. ''Canine alcohol withdrawal, a first for us. We would like to introduce you to the newest member of Dunroamin Special Care Unit, a lovely boy called Coco. Coco has been with us for over a month, having required intensive care since arriving. His story is a tragic one and evidences how vital our special care unit is,'' the post reads.

See the post here:

''Coco continued to be seriously unwell and required round-the-clock care. It became clear that he was suffering from symptoms that all pointed to alcohol withdrawal. He spent four weeks sedated to help with his withdrawal symptoms and to reduce the risk of further fits,'' the post continued.

The Trust added, ''We are so thankful that we are now out of danger and Coco is off all medication and is now starting to behave like a normal dog. He is not yet ready for adoption and whilst physically he seems to have recovered, mentally he is still very anxious at times.''

On the adoption page, the Trust said, ''He is looking for an experienced home with someone who has a good routine and lots of time to spend with him. Coco is very affectionate and loves to play ball. Coco is currently being assessed with dogs. He cannot live with cats but would be suitable with children aged 10+. Coco must be homed within the Plymouth area so we are able to keep up to date with his progress.''

As per Wag Walking, alcohol is toxic for dogs and even a little beer can cause alcohol poisoning, especially in small puppies.