Dog's Play

05/29/2026

Tonight I ended up trying to help a friend whose puppy ate a kid's vitamin containing xylitol. Simple accident: kid dropped vitamin, puppy scarfed it down. (Note: this household is knowledgeable and is xylitol free, but a relative bought the vitamins, unaware of the risk to the dogs.)

The puppy only ate *one* vitamin. Which turned out to contain 1500 mg of xylitol.

100 mg/kg is the threshold for hypoglycemia which can be fatal. At 500 mg/kg, hepatic necrosis occurs -- destruction of liver tissue.

So just ONE chewable vitamin ended up creating a serious problem for a 30 pound pup (which is not quite 14 kg).

The emergency vet induced vomiting. Thankfully, the puppy had had a meal and so there was food in her stomach. In the vomit was the orange tablet, identifiable though dissolved.

Quick thinking on the owner's part (including grabbing the bottle of vitamins) and fortunately a nearby 24/7 emergency vet hospital meant that this pup received prompt treatment, and should make a full recovery.

Check your medications, vitamins, gum, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, peanut butter and more for xylitol, also known as birch sugar.

This is useful information to have on hand:
https://www.calculatorsfordogs.com/health-nutrition-calculators/xylitol-toxicity-calculator

ALWAYS contact vet and ASPCA Animal Poison Control center immediately!

As for everyone (the non-vets) recommending the use of hydrogen peroxide, please update your understanding:
https://www.gsvs.org/woodbridge-nj/blog/hydrogen-peroxide-for-dogs-emergency/

Pass this along. I hope you never have to use it.

05/26/2026

Being a dog must be tiring 🤣

05/22/2026

Exciting news for our Marion county friends! The new Animal Services facility grand opening was today! We saw lots of modernized improvements aimed to provide better care for the animals. Dog's Play is proud to serve shelters, rescues, and fosters throughout North Florida and beyond. Many of the dogs we saw today and dogs like them in shelters everywhere are very adoptable, like the adorable and sweet Curly the hound dog, featured below. Please consider adopting, fostering, volunteering, donating, speaking up within your community, or simply sharing posts of found and adoptable dogs on social media.

05/21/2026

If you know us, you know we love our German Shepherds. Loyal, determined, intelligent, and quick: qualities that can be a dog owner's dream come true, or become your worst nightmare. We see a lot of dogs commonly labeled as "trainable" breeds. Lunging labrador? Pugnacious pit? Terrorist terrier? Demanding doodle? Biting Belgian? If this sounds like your dog, we have solutions and training plans tailored to you and your dog's needs, no matter the age, breed, size, or background. We are accepting new clients and we want to help you! Send us a message or e-mail us at [email protected]!

05/20/2026

05/18/2026

Memorial Day weekend boarding slots are filling fast, but don't worry, we accept last-minute boarders! Let your dog enjoy a vacation of their own at our spacious, shady campus filled with doggy obstacles, doggy pools, tailored play groups, and climate-controlled kennels. We accept reactive, non-dog-friendly, and dog-selective dogs. Add on training and enrichment for your canine friend to get the best full-service experience for your dog.

Please message or e-mail us at [email protected] to secure your spot!