Marcia Gerritz noticed her dog, Orca, acting very strangely around the house. The young and usually energetic Cavalier King Charles spaniel was suddenly lethargic and uninterested in playing or eating. When Orca started vomiting up small white bits and pieces, Marcia and her husband rushed their beloved dog to the vet.
Doctors said Orca was experiencing severe liver failure and was violently ill. She was on the brink of death, yet her owners had no idea why.
Over the next several days, Orca fought for her life in the hospital and ended up making a miraculous recovery.
Though Marcia and her husband spent $5,000 in vet bills, they were eternally grateful to be able to take her back home.
As it turned out, Orca had nearly died because of one household item found everywhere from junk drawers to tabletops; she had ingested a stick of sugar-free gum.
Many varieties of sugar-free gum contain xylitol, a sweetener used in many food products. Xylitol gives sugarless gum its yummy flavor, but it can be extremely dangerous to a dog’s liver. Both sugarless and regular gum can cause blockages in the intestines.
Now Orca’s health scare is helping to warn pet parents everywhere that leaving gum around the house can have fatal consequences.
Footage provided by KDVR Denver