Dog owners, please be warned of the ingredient xylitol. Gus, our boxer, ate close to a full container of Icebreakers Ice Cube Gum (Hershey) Wednesday night while we were out at dinner. Upon discovering the empty plastic container when we returned home, we Googled to see if gum would just pass normally. He took it off of a table, and we figured the noise of the pieces in the plastic container mimicked a favorite puzzle toy of his. To our horror, we discovered that the gum Gus ate contained a high dose of a sweetener called xylitol. This is safe for humans, but it can be fatal for dogs. We read reports of hypoglycemia and liver failure after a 65 lb dog ate just three pieces. Gus ate about 35 pieces. We confirmed the Internet research with a vet tech friend, and he told us we needed to get to the emergency animal hospital right away. At the ER, we called Animal Poison Control, and they advised a course of treatment. The chemical was located on the exterior of the gum, so most of it had been absorbed already. Gus was on IV fluids with dexterose after vomitting was induced to retrieve the gum. He received liver medications. Gus was hospitalized Wednesday night through Friday night much to our dismay. He had to be hooked up to an IV to flush out the toxins and keep his blood sugar in the normal range. We visited and called constantly. Thankfully, his blood work stabilized, and we were able to bring him home. Hes almost back to normal, even though his liver enzymes are high. Were told the liver will need to repair itself, and this takes time. He will be on liver meds for a month. The diligent efforts of Selden Emergency Animal Hospital as well as Grady Hospital were both admirable and appreciated. We were so thankful for the support of family and friends during this nightmare. Gus is, after all, our fur baby. Please be aware that there was no animal warning on this package regarding this ingredient. We just happened to discover its toxic effects from our quick, online research. This chemical is in some gums, candies, some baked goods, granola bars, etc. , and clearly, it is more toxic than some of the foods we already know can be harmful to dogs. Products that are sugar free contain higher amounts. We wanted to share this story with all pet owners, so they are spared the agony and expense of a situation like this. Gus is an 80 lb boxer, but I fear if he were a smaller breed, this would have had a different ending. Feel free to share and repost.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 13:22:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015