# Big Scare Last Night With Jammies



## Jammies (Apr 4, 2009)

*Last night we had a BIG scare with Jammies. I have MS and take a ton of medication. I was at the kitchen counter getting my medication ready for last night and for this morning. One of my pills, Clonazepam , which I take for anxiety, fell on the floor and I immediately went on the floor looking for it. I called my DH to help me. By that time, Jammies was chewing on something. I stuck my finger in her mouth and pulled out a tiny piece of the green pill. I stuck my finger in again and felt the pill in the back of her throat. I probably didn't help matters and may have been the reason that she swolled the pill. I was frantic, especially with her heart condtion. I immediately called my breeder, who is a dear friend, and she gave me the phone number for the emergency center for animals, which is the closest to us, but still about 45 minutes away. I called them and they said we could do one of two things. We could either bring her in to them, or call the Animal Control Poison Center. The said that if we brought her into them, they would call the poison center anyhow. We called the Poison Control Center and they said that the medication would peak in 30 minutes -2 hours and that Jammies may start getting wobbly, which she already had. Apparently, this pill does not affect the dog's heart rate, but their central nervous system, thus the wobbling. They felt that we could monitor her at home and if she started to fall asleep, call her name and be sure that she lifted her head and opened her eyes. If she didn't do that, take her to the Emergency Center immediately! I asked about feeding her and perhaps that would help absorb the medication. They felt that was a good idea. Well, that little 8 lb. dog ate like a piggy and probably gained 3 lbs! She played with us and our sheltie and you would never know that she even took the pill, except that she was still just a tiny bit wobbly. The Poison Control Center had me call them every hour and report in. She was doing so well that we and they felt that there was no need for her to go to the Emergency Center. This all happened around 8:15 last night. By 11:00 pm, Jammies and WE were ready for bed. She got in her crate and I would call her name and she would open her eyes, lift her head and look at me as if to say, "quit bothering me, I'm trying to sleep here!"
Here is the number for the Animal Poison Control Center. They are located in Illinois and handle calls from all over the country. These people are so nice! I pray that none of you ever need them, but if you do, here is their phone number. 1-888-426-4435. Have your credit card ready because they charge you $60.00. I think it was well worth it, because we would've paid that PLUS whatever the Emergency Center would've charged us. I would've paid any amount of money to save my baby.
Anyhow, that was our night last night. I thought for sure I had killed our little baby and was a wreck. My friend Holly (MurphyMoesMamma) says that maybe we aren't giving this little girl enough credit and that she is going to live a lot longer than what the doctor's think! I sure do pray so because she is just the love of my life....well, besides DH!*


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Debbie, what a scare! Glad your little princess is OK and I think Holly may be right about your girl being underestimated. My eyes hurt though from reading your red post, any chance you can change it into black or a more relaxed color? Thank you for sharing the APCC number with us, I will right it down just in case.


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

Phew, what a scare!
I wonder if there is something to give to dogs and make them vomit. I remember having that for my children when they were babies, in case they ever swallow something. Jeesh, I can't remember the name!...


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## Petaluna (May 9, 2008)

omg, you're so lucky she didn't eat more than one. I had a similar experience with my yorkie when she was a puppy, and this is a lesson learned not to use anything as a temporary toy that you would not want them getting into later: 

I think she was less than a year old, and I had a bottle of Motrin with a couple of tablets in it that I was teasing her with like a rattling toy. I must have left it on my bed, which was low to the ground, and she of course chewed it open. Later she vomited several times, large amounts, even though she seemed OK otherwise, and once I saw the open, empty bottle on the floor near the bed, I realized why she was sick. I rushed her to the ER vet, and they kept her overnight with fluids and ulcer medication. By the next morning she was fine, or apparently fine, but it was over $1000, I could have lost her if there had been more than a couple pills in there, and I'll never know for sure that it didn't do damage to her kidneys and liver. I felt so guilty about that. 

I don't know if this is an urban myth, but read a story once somewhere about a sheltie who suffocated from a plastic bag, the owners had let him play with it as a toy while watching him, but he got a hold of one while they were out and they came home and found him with the bag around his face, he'd apparently gotten caught in it. 

I am already warning my husband to be really careful about what is dropped on the floor. He's very nearsighted, so it will be mostly up to me to spot small things that could harm a curious puppy.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Thanks Debbie :kiss:

Zury, one can give peroxide to induce vomiting in dogs. Don't remember the exact amount, would have to google it.

Diane, what a nightmare with your dog and that other playing with the bag. We let Pablo play with bags under 100% supervision, but stopped when he started shredding them and I found a 5 cent size piece of it in his poop. He obviously still loves playing with them when he gets a hold of one


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## Julie (Feb 8, 2007)

Thank goodness Jammies is alright.WHEW! That is scary. We have had that happen here before(dropping a pill by mistake) and I give both my boys a firm correction and make them leave the room. They do this(leave the room)by me just pointing my finger and snapping or verbally saying "out". Thank goodness they have always minded......but they are older too...so you may want to try to teach Jammies a leave it command or something to help you in the future.

I'm glad she is alright and thanks for the emergency number.


By the way--someone asked about that stuff for kids who injest something they shouldn't---it is called Iceapic <--spelling of something like that. I haven't had it here for years,but I think it is something like that.


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

Julie said:


> [...]
> By the way--someone asked about that stuff for kids who injest something they shouldn't---it is called Iceapic <--spelling of something like that. I haven't had it here for years,but I think it is something like that.


I know the active ingredient is called Ipecacuanha, but don't know any commercial names for it.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

How scary! So glad to hear that Jammies is alright! I would keep a bottle of peroxide handy for situations like that. It causes them to throw up (and right away too). Maryam, I think the dosage is something like a tablespoon, though I could be wrong, and you're supposed to give it to them 2-3 times over the course of 1-2 hours. At least that's what Laurie wrote in a thread a while back.


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

I am SOO afraid of that happening here that I take ALL kinds of precautions because the medicine I take could easily kill Gucci. I keep everything locked up in a safe, in the closet and I use a pill box, which I fill once a week or so and I'm just very cautious about it, I have dropped pills a few times and panicked like crazy, If you can't find it in 30 seconds or so, I'd just run a vacuum over it like 400 times. lol

I'm glad everything turned out okay though!

Kara


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## HavaBaloo (Mar 24, 2009)

Glad Jammies is okay, what a scary thing to happen.

You can give your pet a teaspoon of Hydrogen Peroxide and it will make them throw up. A friend had to do that when their dog swollowed a bobbi pin and it worked.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Angie, I'm glad that hydrogen peroxide worked for your friend's dog! I would caution, though, on using peroxide (or any vomit inducing drug) to get your dog to throw up something solid... especially something with sharper edges as it can tear a hole in your dog's esophagus or throat as it comes back up. I've always been warned against this so just passing that on.


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## HavaBaloo (Mar 24, 2009)

Lina said:


> Angie, I'm glad that hydrogen peroxide worked for your friend's dog! I would caution, though, on using peroxide (or any vomit inducing drug) to get your dog to throw up something solid... especially something with sharper edges as it can tear a hole in your dog's esophagus or throat as it comes back up. I've always been warned against this so just passing that on.


Thanks for that tip Lina, I hope I never have to deal with something like what happened with Jammies.

My vet did say that I definatley need to have a bottle of peroxide on hand along with Benadryl in case of an allergic reaction - but I would probably call the 24 hour hotline before using something like this. I think that in the case of a pill it would work, especially if you are further away from a emergency centre.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Angie, yes, for a pill (or chocolate, raisins, onions, etc.), peroxide works great!


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

So glad to hear that Jammies is ok! Sorry you had such a scary experience with her. My boys both take daily medicines for allergies and asthma and they have to open it over the basket we keep all the bottles in just in case it drops.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

The other medicine to induce vomiting is ipecac syrup. For dealing with pills, I put my pill bottles on the kitchen table and then put them into a weekly pill case. Then we I get ready to take my pills, I stand over the sink with them. I started that after dropping a pill that will lower your blood pressure (I take it as a migraine preventative) and I nearly panicked when I thought my dog might get it! I drop one in the sink once in a while so it is worth doing it somewhere safe like that.

Debbie, I'm so glad Jammies is fine!


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## Jammies (Apr 4, 2009)

*Thank you all for your concerns for Jammies. I do try to be careful with my medication because I take so many. I either sit at the table with the cups ready that I am putting them into, or stand at the kitchen counter to fill the cups. I guess last night I forgot that the little dust buster was right underneath me. The least she could do is clean up dirt, not drag in things from outside! I find those containers that you buy at the drug store are not big enough to hold all my pills:crazy: so I have my own system. Tonight, I took my medicine bag and my cups and went into the bathroom with Jammies on the outside wanting in...NO WAY, NO HOW! I had that kind of night last night and I prefer to sleep tonight. My friend Donna, who is our breeder was so wonderful to me, staying on the phone, trying to calm me down, etc. I think it is such a wonderful experience when you find something in common with your breeder besides the dogs and you just know that you will be lifelong friends. She has been there for me for so many things.
Jammies played frisbee outside with Shannon tonight (more like tug of war frisbee) so she should be good and tired tonight. I just love her to pieces and if you all don't mind, would you say a little prayer for her that God heals her heart and doesn't take her away from me too? I lost my Grams, my brother and my Mom within 8 months of each other in 2006, my brother and my mom within 51 days of each other. I named Jammies after mom...JAnet...and the rest just flowed...the Grams part...thus Jammies. I can't bear the thought of losing this little one when we need each other so much.
Thanks again for the concerns for Jammies. She's a tough little girl and is so so LOVED!
*


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Hugs and prayers to you and Jammies Debbie! It's quite obvious that she's well loved, I seem to fall for all of the dogs we're lucky enough to get to know through this forum. I'm sorry for your losses and wish you nothing but joy, laughter, and love with your sweet Jammies!!!:hug:


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Wow Debbie!
What a night you had-your nerves must have been frazzled. I'm very relieved your baby is fine.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I'm always yelling at DH because he drops his meds all the time. Some of those pills are so tiny they get lost real quick. Glad Jammies is OK.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I know exactly how you felt. It happened to me when Milo was still quite young. He was scheduled for his neutering the next day and somehow he got into the desiccant from one of my pill bottles. I too was frantic while I called the vet's office. They told me to get peroxide (1 teaspoon) into him quickly and he should throw up. I was shaking so badly that I flung it at him. It went in his mouth, in his hair and he was slurping it up, looking at me like "what was that."

He never vomited so I called the vet back and they told me to call poison control, which I did. They told me it would not harm him but to just keep an eye on him. I cancelled the surgery for the next day because I wasn't going to risk his being put under, not knowing if there would be any lasting effect from the desiccant. It probably took me longer to get over the stark terror of it than it did him. 

I've already been praying for a healing for your little Jammies so you can hold onto each other for a very long time.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

So glad Jammies is ok! Pills are my biggest fear, when I take some pills in the morning. 

I am so paranoid about dropping pills on the floor, that I stand very close to the counter so I don't accidently drop one and if I do, the pill drops on the counter, and if the pill goes to the floor, I am quick to pick it up, because Dexter is usually right near me all the time.


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## BeverlyA (Oct 29, 2006)

Oh I'm so glad Jammies is okay! She must be one tough little girl to take a clonazapam and still keep kicking! I'm not a petite thing myself and one of those has me sleeping like a baby.
My friend Beth had to give one of her Corgi's hydrogen peroxide after she ate rat poison and it worked like a charm.

I'll be saying a special prayer for your little Jammies that she stays healthy!
Beverly


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

I'm so glad Jammies is okay. She's a tough little girl! 
Gina


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

*JJ*

I am so glad Jammies was okay! My heart was sure in my throat when you called me to tell me what happened. That little Jammies is one tough little girl. She looks like a princess but is as resilient as can be! Kisses to Jammies from Aunt Holly and big brother Murphy.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Glad everything is OK. Yeah I get after my wife when she takes her pills. She has dropped a few. Do the opening and whole process over the sink. Julie has a good point though too. Try teaching a leave it command in case you drop something like chocolate ,raisins or such accidentally . Anyway here is some good reading that could very well save your dog's life at the ASPCA site. Some things you do not want them to throw back up though. Here's the link
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Well Dave, I was about to suggest the same thing.  Whenever I drop something (onion, pin, anything!), I almost always say "leave it", just in case the dogs get it into their heads to give it a taste. I've already taught them the command, otherwise they wouldn't know what it meant, but it is very handy for situations like this.

I am VERY glad to hear that Jammies is o.k. What a scare, Debbie! (((((hugs))))) and definitely prayers for your little girl to live long and healthy.


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