
08/16/2025
Meet Petunia and Carl, two adorable pug siblings who recently got into their parent’s gum stash. What seemed like innocent mischief turned serious quickly, as many sugar-free gums contain xylitol, a substance that’s highly toxic to dogs.
Xylitol can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar within hours and, in some cases, can lead to acute liver failure. It’s a true veterinary emergency.
Thankfully, Petunia and Carl were in the expert hands of Dr. Lauren Bracchi, a Criticalist at MedVet Vancouver. With IV fluids, glucose support, and round-the-clock care, both pups pulled through and are now home, resting and recovering well.
🔔 Pet Safety Tip: If your pet ingests anything sugar-free such as gum, mints, peanut butter, baked goods, get to a veterinarian immediately. Xylitol toxicity can escalate quickly, even in small amounts — learn more about the risks in our blog post: https://hubs.la/Q03CMgsc0