Chewing gum. It seems harmless. We chew it all the time. But to a dog it can be so poisonous that it can cause death in less than an hour.
Xylitol
is the ingredient in some sugar free gums which tricks a dog’s body into releasing high amounts of insulin, causing rapid low body sugar. This ingredient can also be found in some peanut butters and also toothpastes. So, keep the chewing gum packs somewhere your dog can’t reach them, always read the label before you give your dog a pill in some peanut butter and only use dog toothpaste for your dog.
In the event that you ever see your dog eat something poisonous, you should call the ASPCA animal poison control center hotline – (888) 426-4435. There may be a small fee but it will be worth it to save your dog’s life. More than likely they will have you give your dog 3% hydrogen peroxide to make him/her vomit up the poison, so have a bottle of it handy in your medicine cabinet. Also, I like to have a syringe at home, but you can use things like turkey basters or bulb syringes (like for babies) to get a dog to swallow liquids. Some are saying that other remedies are better than hydrogen peroxide but most Veterinarians still agree it is the best choice at home. You need to give “1 teaspoon per 5 lbs., not to exceed 3 tablespoons” (ASPCA). I learned several years into my Veterinary career that in order to get the full effect, you should shake the belly, imagining the peroxide bubbling up inside. If it doesn’t work the first time, you can repeat once.
Remember, your dog doesn’t “know better.” It only takes a brief moment for your dog to do something that can be deadly. Keep your home “dog proof” for his/her entire life.
