Dog Almost Killed After Consuming Artificial Sweetener
Tele the golden retriever
By Cheryl Preheim
KUSA-TV Denver
DENVER, CO -- Tele is a 7-month-old Golden Retriever who loves treats.
So, when 2-year-old Jordan started feeding her mints, she loved it.
I was standing right there as my 2-year-old is handing one mint for him,
one mint for me type of game and it was literally six mints later that we
started seeing signs," said Lindsey Davis, Jordan's mom. Within 15 minutes
of eating six mints, Tele was having seizures and vomiting.
Davis took her to Aspenwood Animal Hospital on Colorado Boulevard. Dr.
Julie Kelly said when Tele got there, "she was basically in a type of a
coma."
A frantic call to Animal Poison Control revealed that Tele was being
poisoned by Xylitol. "It is an artificial sweetener that is in sugarless
chewing gums and mints and some household baking products," said Kelly. "It
is life threatening to dogs. They can die very quickly."
She says veterinarians are seeing more cases of Xylitol poisoning. "We
are starting to see these animals that are getting into people's purses or
their children are giving them treats and dogs like to eat anything they
can," said Kelly. Davis wants to warn other dog owners.
The compound is as close as a hands reach of the check out stand so
people need to know that this is toxic to dogs," she said.
Tele is back home and feeling better but the vet says she still needs to
be watched closely to make sure there isn't any permanent liver damage.