A Stafford pet owner is enduring every dog lover’s worst nightmare after a routine riverside walk left her young spaniel fighting for survival against a highly toxic drug ingestion.
Demi Hagenbach took her dog, Swiftie, for a regular outing between Newstead Park and New Farm Park on Sunday, May 10. During the walk, the spaniel consumed an unknown substance off the ground, which her owner suspects was human faeces. Later that evening, the dog began exhibiting highly erratic behaviour, including severe panting, drooling, and aimless circling that lasted for hours.
After a local emergency clinic initially sent them home, Hagenbach rushed the rapidly deteriorating dog to the Animal Emergency Service in Underwood. Medical professionals conducted a urine test that revealed a shocking diagnosis. The young dog had ingested a massive amount of methamphetamine, THC, ecstasy, and ibuprofen.
Veterinarians noted that the severe neurological symptoms, which included body tremors and difficulty walking, meant the animal required immediate sedation and oxygen support. Swiftie spent five days in the intensive care unit battling internal bleeding and a secondary urinary tract infection.
The financial toll of the emergency quickly matched the emotional devastation. The intensive care treatment cost up to $3,000 per night, rapidly exhausting Hagenbach’s annual pet insurance limit of $15,000. Medical staff warned that the dog requires ongoing constant observation and potentially a $5,000 MRI to check for meningitis or an internal brain bleed, making her recovery far more complex than initially expected.
In response to the escalating crisis, Grace Hagenbach organised a community fundraiser to help cover the staggering veterinary debts and necessary surgical interventions. The family stated that any leftover funds would be directed to the Australian Companion Animal Health Foundation to support further research into diseases affecting local pets.
Published Date 19-May-2026
