One weekday, whilst her owner Cate was getting ready for work, Bubblegum the seven-month-old Australian bulldog decided to explore the contents of Cate’s handbag.
Cate emerged from the bathroom to find Bubblegum lying amongst the remnants of a chewing gum bottle, happily snuffling and munching her way through scattered pieces of gum.
Crossly, Cate grabbed Bubblegum, pulled the gum out of her mouth, and shut her out of the bedroom so that she could tidy up the mess. However, her irritation turned to worry when she noticed that the gum packet listed xylitol as the sweetener. Cate remembered hearing somewhere that xylitol was toxic to dogs, so she immediately called her local veterinary clinic for further advice.
The veterinarian on duty confirmed Cate’s worries, advising that xylitol could cause dangerously low blood glucose levels (hypoglycaemia) in dogs and, at higher doses, potentially fatal liver damage. Cate was advised to bring Bubblegum down for immediate treatment.
When Cate and her pet arrived fifteen minutes later, Cate consented for Bubblegum to be immediately whisked away and induced to vomit. The pup was administered an injection of medication, which caused her to vomit several times, emptying her stomach. Within the vomited material, the nurses and vet noted a few small pieces of plastic and several partially chewed pieces of white gum.
Bubblegum stayed in the hospital for the rest of the day for general monitoring and checks of her blood glucose levels and liver parameters.
Luckily, Bubblegum remained of the opinion that the veterinary staff were her new best friends and was on the receiving end of high quantities of “therapeutic cuddles” throughout the day. Extra fortunately (thanks to the quick action of Cate and the veterinary staff), Bubblegum avoided any toxic effects from the xylitol, and was able to go home that night with another blood test planned in the next couple of days.
If, like Bubblegum, your pet bites off more than they can chew in the dangerous foods department, please contact our knowledgeable team immediately for further advice.