So scared my dog is going to die...

Asked by livelaughlove21 (15724) November 12th, 2013 from iPhone

My border collie mix, Daisy, is only 1 year old. Sunday night, we discovered she ate almost an entire pack of Orbit sugar free gum. We didn’t realize that xylitol, the sugar substitute in sugar free gum, was toxic to dogs until at least an hour after she ate it. We took her to the emergency vet and they gave her something to induce vomiting, but I’m sure some was absorbed because it was so long after she consumed it.

She didn’t show a single symptom and her blood glucose never dropped, the immediate risk of xylitol consumption in dogs. They kept her overnight and gave her fluids to flush it out. Monday morning, I went and picked her up and took her to her regular vet to continue receiving fluids and keep track of her liver values, since liver failure is the more serious risk with xylitol consumption.

She did great and remained symptom free, so we were able to bring her home last night. She seemed fine, ate and drank and went potty, and slept like a rock with us all night. This morning, she didn’t seem to want to get out of bed when my husband got up; it took a little convincing for her to do it.

When I came downstairs an hour later, she was laying in her bed instead of jumping around when she saw me as she usually does. I had to put her food in her bed in order to get her to get up and eat it across the room, which she eventually did. I also took her for a short walk and she seemed okay, but she didn’t pull me or get as excited as she usually does. When we got back home, she hopped up on the couch and went to sleep.

I thought she might just be exhausted from all the stress from the last day or so, but I called the vet anyway and was told to bring her in just to be safe. She cheered up when we got to the vet, so I figured I was just paranoid. No vomiting, jaundice, or stumbling. Normal glucose level.

Well, turns out she had a fever of 104. The vet seemed confused by this and said xylitol normally doesn’t cause a fever, but it has to be related. She decided to keep her for awhile, but she may need to be hospitalized again.

We have paid $1000 that we don’t have, and I have a feeling this is not the end of the spending. I’m just so worried that something bad will happen and she’ll die without us there. All I can do is sit around by myself crying like a freak and waiting for the vet’s call. I don’t know what to do with myself all day.

I know this isn’t a question, but I was hoping to get some support. The money situation alone is enough to stress me out to the max, but now that I know Daisy isn’t in the clear yet, I don’t know what to do.