THERE is danger for our pets everywhere and most of it is pretty obvious.

But some of it is not.

Recently, a young Staffie pup was taken to a vets. He was dull, dehydrated and had been vomiting relentlessy.

I do not know the ins and outs of his treatment but I understand that he died shortly after being admitted. Just 24 hours earlier he had been a normal, happy, bouncing, puppy brimming with excitement. Then his owner returned home with a bag full of shopping, which he found interesting. Puppies, after all, are designed to be inquisitive. In amongst the biscuits and the bread and the butter (all surely more than worthy of his attention) was a packet of Surf liquitabs.

These little packets of gel contain concentrated detergent for washing machines. They look and feel like toys to puppies (and to children). So they play with them. And chew them.

Dilute detergents are irritating to the stomach but modern liquid tabs can, and do, pack a lethal punch. This victim became a dark memory, when previously he had the potential to become an integral part of a family’s life history.

Elsewhere, another unfortunate puppy was discovering the dangers of nicotine. We all know about the problems smoking can cause dogs. Everyone by now should be aware of the bronchial spasm that occurs when dogs inhale smoke.

Recent work, done by a University in Japan, proved that nicotine makes worse ‘every respiratory condition’ of dogs. But this puppy wasn't bothered by smoke in the atmosphere. Oh no. His owner had stopped smoking months before.

Just like the Staffie, he was investigating his surroundings while his owner was out. The sofa was comfortable but boring. The area behind the television was dusty and complicated with wires. And aye, aye, what was this? Up high on the table (he must have grown because he couldn't reach here last week) was something pretty interesting. He could just about get it with his tongue if he really, really stretched, so he licked it to the ground, picked it up in his mouth and crunched.

Nicotine is toxic. It is present in some pesticides and, of course, in cigarettes. Many a young dog has suffered mild hyperactivity, drooling and vomiting from stealing a few usedbutts from an ashtray. These typically contain around 5mg of nicotine. Since the lethal dose of the substance is about 10mg/kg bodyweight, they rarely cause significant harm.

What our puppy had chewed, however, was a refill vial for an e-cigarette. These pockets of poison contain a whooping 36mg per ml. What this means is each single ml is capable of killing a 3kg puppy.

Our poor wee guy didn't take long to start feeling unwell. His heart started to thump uncontrollably and his respiratory rate increased beyond belief. He dripped saliva and his pupils dilated.

With no owner around to let him out, he held in the diarrhoea for as long as he could. He felt weak and trembly.

Luckily he didn't know his breathing was about to stop and that his owner would return home later to unforgettable devastation. Please be careful