Xylitol, an ingredient in many sugar-free gums, breath mints and some peanut butter can be deadly to dogs.
Christy Figlio learned this firsthand and is now trying to warn other dog owners about the danger.
Canon, a 3-year-old Husky mix, was an extremely active dog until Saturday night when he stopped eating, started drinking a lot of water, then vomited up the liquid, WZTV reported.
"That was the red flag that made us take him to the hospital," Figlio told WZTV.
Canon was given an IV of fluids, antibiotics and Figlio was told to take him to the animal emergency room if he got worse.
When they got home, Canon dropped to the floor and started having a seizure. Figlio rushed him to an emergency veterinarian.
“I could just tell,” Figlio said. “I knew we weren't going to be bringing him home, and I lost my dad a year ago, unexpectedly, and this is a close second.”
The results of ingesting xylitol can be fatal in dogs within minutes.
Dogs quickly absorb xylitol into their bloodstream, causing the release of insulin, resulting in hypoglycemia, the rapid decrease in blood sugar level, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
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