I'll take the dog breath, thanks!

If there's any constant in breeding, it's the fact that you never stop learning. And no day is EVER the same twice. You can count on that.

The first chirp from my phone came in at 6:41 this morning ... "oh no my doodle got into my purse and got my chewing gum!" Now my own dogs have gotten into plenty that they shouldn't have, but gum is a first for me. I told her to use peroxide to induce vomiting - get it out.

I called my vet, and they said the same - induce vomiting. Good Doodle Mommy that she it, Kiley was already calling her vet's office too ... the vet's advice: "induce vomiting immediately and get her in here now. This particular chewing gum is potentially fatal."

Can you imagine that sinking feeling? Just hearing those words?

SandieDoodle was immediately loaded up and rushed to the vet. By the time they arrived, her blood sugar was already at dangerous levels. She is spending the day at the vet's office under observation and for fluids, glucose checks, etc. They feel confident all will be well. Kiley is keeping me updated through the day. And so far, so good.

So why this particular gum? Xylitol. It's a long four letter word. This is an artificial sweetener used in many sugar free gums (and who know what other products?), and it is HIGHLY toxic to canines. Interestingly enough, the strawberry kind is the worst of the worst.

Had she not induced vomiting, Sandie would have been well on her way into hypoglycemia / insulin shock, especially considering the amount she ingested. (Estimated 10 pieces, but who really knows?) And if that did not kill her, the ensuing liver damage likely would have within a very brief time.

Yikes, right? That's what I mean about learning something new every day .... I have never given chewing gum a second thought .... and now I will never look at it the same.

Some tips to help, should you ever encounter such a situation:

1. Check the packaging of the product in question. If there is a phone number, have it at the ready, but mostly what you're looking for is the ingredient list.

2. Bypass calling the manufacturer - call your vet, go to your vet, take the package with you. They can get whatever information they need from Poison Control.

You can call Poison Control yourself, but many of the services out there are going to charge you anywhere from $30-$75 for a consultation phone call. You're likely going to the vet anyway - save that money for your office visit instead of wasting it on a phone call.

If a local veterinarian is not immediately available, call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680). Both hotlines are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (There will be a charge, have your credit card handy.)

3. Induce vomiting with hyrogen peroxide. The dosage is 1 milliliter (ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide per pound of dog weight. If you have a needleless syringe on hand, that's the easiest way to draw up the correct amount, and by far the easiest method to administer.

If using a teaspoon to measure, one tsp is approximately five ml.

The maximum amount of hydrogen peroxide to be given at any one time is 45 ml, even if a dog weighs over 45 pounds. Squirt the hydrogen peroxide into the back of the dog’s mouth using the syringe or a turkey baster. Stand back. It usually happens pretty fast.

If vomiting has not occurred within 10 minutes or so, give one more dose of hydrogen peroxide measured out as described above. If vomiting still does not occur, call your veterinarian or the pet poison control center/hotline back for instructions.

Once vomiting has occurred, collect a sample in a leak-proof container. Bring this to your veterinarian’s office for identification if you are unsure of exactly what your dog may have eaten.

Thoroughly clean up the vomit. Wear latex or rubber gloves while handling vomit, particularly if it potentially contains a material that is hazardous to human health.

A note about peroxide - it doesn't always work. One of my girls has a stomach of steel - nothing and I mean nothing makes her sick. Three doses of peroxide didn't do it for her. It took a morphine injection to clear the contents of her stomach. Problem with that it, is clears out the bowels too. Yeah, that was an interesting day.

This has been a topic on The GVD Gathering Place today - and an important one! The Gathering Place is a private FB group for families who are already blessed with a Golden Valley Doodle, and for those families who have a deposit on their future love. If you fall into those categories and aren't already a member of the group, message me - I'm happy to add you!