Texas woman claims dog died after eating a sugar-free candy cane: ‘I feel like I failed her’
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Texas woman claims her dog died after eating sugar-free candy canes. (iStock)
A young dog in Texas reportedly died after eating a sugar-free candy cane, which contains an ingredient called xylitol that is often deadly to canines if ingested.
Groves resident Darla Martinez told 12 News her 7-month-old Chihuahua-mix, Harleigh, got into a package of sugar-free candy canes that she purchased last Thursday. The pup somehow managed to snag them from a table while Martinez was in another room.
TENNESSEE WOMAN WARNS PET OWNERS OF DANGEROUS INGREDIENT IN CHEWING GUM AFTER DOG DIES
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}That night, Harleigh began to vomit and, at one point the next morning, was “laying in a pool of blood” while in her kennel, 12 News reported.
On Friday morning, the Groves woman took the pup — which was allegedly comatose at this point — to a nearby vet. There, veterinarians informed Martinez that Harleigh had xylitol poisoning. She died shortly after.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that’s often used as a substitute for sugar. It's commonly found in sugar-free chewing gums and mints, toothpaste and store-bought baked goods, among other items, according to PetMD. The ingredient can be lethal to dogs if ingested, as the "ingestion of xylitol or xylitol-containing products causes a rapid release of the hormone insulin, causing a sudden decrease in the dog's blood glucose," PetMD reports. It's not usually harmful to humans.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Weakness, vomiting, seizures, trembling, diarrhea and acute collapse, among other symptoms, are all signs of xylitol poisoning, according to Pet Health Network.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think that's this spunky, healthy, little girl would pass away from a candy cane," Martinez told 12 News. “I was always worried about chocolate — but that’s nothing compared to this.”
CAT GETS STUCK IN LAUNDRY VENT, LITERALLY NEEDS BUTTERING UP TO GET OUT
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Somehow I feel like I failed her by leaving candy canes on the table,” she added.
Darla Martinez did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment on Tuesday.