A MUST READ FOR ALL DOG PARENTS
How suddenly a day can take a turn for the worse, possibly a deadly turn! Iva and I had been out with the ladies for a birthday celebration breakfast for a friend. After returning home, my husband and I made plans for the day.
I got a piece of Mentos gum, as one fell in the floor. I scrambled to get it before Iva. What I didn’t know was that more than one piece fell.
“What’s Iva eating?” asked my husband.
I opened her jaws and removed a barely bitten piece of gum. The hard shell had barely been broken, but I had heard Iva crunching loudly when I approached her.
Fearing she had ingested something harmful, I prayed. I looked up at her as she handed me her paw. I told her God loves her. This dog that bows her head when I pray. People have photographed it at church. This sweet dog who wants to comfort people when they cry. She is special.
We headed to Lowes. I googled a question: What to do if my dog eats gum?
The first answer raised concern. If gum contains xylitol, get the dog to the vet immediately. Thankfully, we had the same gum in the car, and my husband discovered the deadly ingredient. We never knew. Our vet is near Lowes, so we were already headed in the right direction. A picture of God’s providence. They were closing at noon. We had fifteen minutes, but when I called, they insisted we bring Iva immediately. They needed to induce vomiting.
They rushed Iva to the back. As I waited in the exam room, I prayed. About twenty minutes later, a tech returned with a happy Iva. She had thrown up the gum, and no further treatment was necessary! Thank You Jesus!! Thank you, Blue Ridge Animal Clinic in Lexington Virginia, for treating Iva promptly and not sending us to an emergency clinic.
Xylitol is a sugar substitute also known as sugar alcohol. You can learn more about it here:
As a writer, I pray our close call will alert dog lovers everywhere to read the ingredients on household items. Please read the above article to learn the variety of products containing this toxic substance for our fur babies.
Our day can change in an instant, but God is never surprised. Hence the importance of praying for the Lord to direct our steps every morning. He knows what our day holds. Thanks be to God, the Healer of all, our day ended happily.
A Mountain of Faith 