Don’t Chew Gum
June 3, 2008 | 1 Comment
For those of you that can walk and chew gum at the same time, here’s an article you must read.
WILMINGTON — An artificial sweetener can be deadly for dogs, and a local dog owner learned that the hard way.
Anna Frazelle rushed her dog, Scout, to the Dineen Animal Hospital when she noticed her King Charles Spaniel acting strange.
“He was using the wall to hold himself up,” said Frazelle.
She was shocked by the diagnosis of sugar free gum poisoning.
Sugar free gum contains Xylitol, a sugar substitute found in almost any sugar free food, which can be deadly for dogs.
Veterinarians said they are most often concerned about Xylitol contained in gum because one stick can kill a 20 pound dog.
“It makes the pancreas release a tremendous amount of insulin all at once, it puts the dog into extreme hypoglycemia and that’s where most dogs die, they die within the first hour,” said Dr. Jeff Dineen.
If you fear your dog has swallowed gum, but on the lookout for symptoms such as weakness and uncoordinated movements.
According to Dr. Dineen, ridding your dog’s system of the gum by vomiting is the first step in recovery.
Luckily, Scout eventually recovered.
For more information on Xylitol poisoning contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or on the web, here.
my 20-25 pound pug just ate more than half of a sugar-free back of orbit. he seems to be acking fine but i looked into it and it said liver failer. he ate it yesterday and seems to b ok but is that bad or good??