Meet Jetson, a high-spirited Blue Nose Pitbull who loves people and new experiences! But one unwelcome experience this one-year-old puppy encountered was when he downed a whole bottle of Advil. In this blog, we discuss the pup’s plight and the life-saving vet med heroics at VEG with his loving mom, Christina.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG EATS ADVIL OR OTHER IBUPROFEN BRAND
Christina just moved into her new home, and along with Lyla, an older Brindle Pitbull, Christina and Jetson were loving their new place, complete with a yard where the dogs could roam. All was settling in nicely when tragedy struck her beloved pittie puppy.
“We have a doggie door to the outside and I could hear Jetson throwing up in the backyard. I went outside to check on him and he was moving wobbly on his paws and vomiting.”
There on the ground was a chewed up brown bag and remnants of a bottle of Advil. She immediately began Googling what to do if your dog eats Advil (ibuprofen). Christina put in an urgent call to her friend, who is a doctor.
Since the pitbull had vomited, she thought maybe he would be okay. But upon hearing that even a single dose of ibuprofen could really cause damage, she took Jetson to her nearby animal hospital, VEG - Northern Liberties.
Pet parents, if your dog eats ibuprofen, even if it’s just a little, act fast like Christina did and get your pup to VEG emergency animal clinic asap. There is no time to waste, as ibuprofen contains a high level of toxicity to dogs. Even if your dog is throwing up, they are still in grave danger.
VEG ANIMAL HOSPITAL IN NORTHERN LIBERTIES PROVIDES IMMEDIATE EXAM
Christina called Poison Control and received a case number. Fortunately, she found upon arriving at VEG Northern Liberties animal hospital that they have a large parking lot! This allowed her to park quickly and get Jetson into the pet ER asap.
She was met by VEG’s staff (aka VEGgies) at the door and supplied them with the case number, and the hospital staff got to work. The triage on Jetson began quickly and the highly skilled staff at VEG collaborated with Poison Control via phone.
The worried owner explained that the ibuprofen bottle was in a brown shipping bag and the carrier had thrown it in her yard instead of where Christina told them to leave it. What’s an adventurous pup to do? Jetson tore into the package, naturally.
PITTIE GETS PROMPT, COMPASSIONATE VET CARE AT VEG ANIMAL CLINIC
Dr. Madison Bober at VEG made the decision to admit Jetson. She also recognized helping the pittie to survive this was going to be a long haul and found a way to say YES by promoting Jetson as a candidate to receive funds through VEG Cares. This is VEG’s philanthropy that provides life-saving care to pets in need.
The next morning, Dr. Caroline Bogle was on duty and Jetson was under her care. She observed that, in addition to his vomiting, he showed signs of ataxia, which the vet explains, is “a severe consequence of ingesting ibuprofen.” Jetson showed these signs of ataxia:
Awkward movements
Issues with balance
Problems with coordination
MEDICAL VET STEPS TO SAVE THE DOG FROM TOXIC IBUPROFEN INGESTION
Ibuprofen presents a risk for damage to the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys. The team got to work, giving Jetson a medication to assist vomiting (in an attempt to remove any remaining ibuprofen from the stomach).
In addition to the severe vomiting, Jetson also developed bloody diarrhea, another consequence of Ibuprofen toxicity. Jetson was started on gastro-protectants like sucralfate and omeprazole (an antacid to support his gut).
Dr. Bogle: “Sucralfate is like a chalky liquid used to bind any ulcers which could form in the GI tract.”
These medications were key in protecting the pittie’s digestive system. Yet, the vet team observed he was still taking a major decline.
PET OWNERS SEE THE VET STAFF IN ACTION AT VEG
Dr. Bogle: “We continued intervention with an NG tube, a urinary catheter, and fecal foley, which is like a catheter for poop because there were severe signs of GI upset.” Jetson had large volumes of blood in his stool. He tore out his feeding tube, but the expert vet team continued compassionate care.
The emergency-trained vet team at VEG increased fluids because he was losing so many through vomiting and diarrhea. “I truly believed that if we hadn’t intervened, he wouldn’t have survived.”
Typical at VEG, pets are not let on their own while recovering. The vet team checks in periodically and give lots of pets and cuddles. In Jetson’s case, Nurse Lorianna spent the entire day taking care of him. Says Christina, “I could see that he was in really good hands.”
In addition to the attention from the nurse, Jetson had another companion during the day. VEG has a Customer Experience Coordinator (CEC) in every hospital. These helpful staff members ensure a positive experience for pets and their owners. In Jetson’s case, his CEC spent two hours with Jetson in his crate, while the vet team continued to monitor him.
THE PITBULL’S RECOVERY AT VEG ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Jetson appeared clinically better when the vet team hand fed him and he ate a little. At night, VEGgies took him out to relieve himself. In time:
Jetson’s test levels were in the healthy range
He was eating food
His disposition appeared brighter
He tolerated oral medications
He relieved himself without complications
It was time for Jetson to go home! Christina received education regarding Jetson’s medication. She had to give him fluids inserted in his back. He required three visits for followup bloodwork in VEG’s ER. Jetson walked back in each time like he was the mayor, lavished with a big, loving hello from the vet staff.
This entire emergency vet experience left Christina with a newfound admiration for the veterinary staff at VEG. She explains, “I don’t think you understand how compassionate they are. It’s a big open space, while we were there, a dog came in that needed to be put down. The dog’s mom and dad were completely inconsolable. It was hard to see and the vet staff made a private moment for that family’s final goodbyes.
“And it was difficult to take in. But what blew me away was that the VEG staff came back to me to see how I was doing. They knew it was hard for me to see and just hearing them ask me how I was amidst another family’s sad moment is truly what sets VEG people apart.”
She also noted that a VEGgie asked if they should check on Christina’s other dog while she was with Jetson. How many places offer that? She says, “I will be singing your staff’s praises from the rooftops, and I wholeheartedly believe the team deserves recognition for the extraordinary work they do.”
It may have been one of the most difficult 72 hours of her life (and Jetson’s!) but VEG’s care and support during the ordeal made it so much easier. They made it possible for Jetson to play in the yard again with Lyla! We’ll leave it with the grateful pitbull owner’s words: “Thank you for fostering such an exceptional team at VEG—you should all be incredibly proud of the business you’ve created and the team that represents you.”
VEG VETS CARE FOR DOGS, CATS, REPTILES, AND EXOTIC ANIMALS
You can't schedule for a pet emergency. That's why VEG is open 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays. Triage begins right away and your pet will receive top-rated vet care, and you get to stay by your buddy's side all throughout your pet's treatment.
