Actor Trevor Donovan recently had a scary emergency involving his dog Roscoe. The animal ended up accidentally eating a pack of sealed gum and almost died.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the actor revealed that his furry friend almost died as a result of eating gum. The actor left him in his truck when he went to the gym.
"Recently, Roscoe had a terrifying encounter with something I never expected," wrote Donovan. "As many of you know, Roscoe spent the first eight months of his life living in a car, so he's very comfortable in vehicles. I always make the truck homey for him when I hit the gym, and I can always keep an eye on him from the outdoor area where I work out—he's never out of sight and earshot."
However, upon returning to the truck, he realized the Roscoe had heated a pack of sealed gum. Initially, he didn't think much about it. But soon the dog started having a seizure.
"I knew the dangers of xylitol but didn't connect it to gum. My heart dropped," said Donovan. Xylitol poisoning in dogs causes seizures as well as vomiting, staggering, and weakness. The actor quickly rushed him to an emergency vet. They "immediately induced vomiting and gave [Roscoe] medication."
Dog Experiences Poisoning
"Roscoe didn't understand what was happening, but he was such a trooper through it all. I was more scared than he was, and the vet prepared me for the worst," recalled Donovan. "If his liver numbers didn't improve, it could be fatal."
The actor said the next three days were among the longest of his life. He faced regret and guilt over what happened."Those next few days were some of the longest and hardest of my life," he continued. "I couldn't sleep, and my face was sore from crying. The guilt and fear were overwhelming. I couldn't shake the thought that my careless mistake might cost Roscoe his life."
Finally, the vets told him that the animal was going to be okay.
"Looking back, I realize just how close I came to losing him. If another 20 minutes had passed, he wouldn't be here with me today," said Donovan. He said he waited "until Roscoe's liver numbers were completely back to normal and he had fully recovered from the ordeal before sharing what happened."
The actor hopes others can learn from his mistake.
"I hope this story can raise awareness and prevent other dogs from going through the same ordeal. Thanks for reading," he wrote. "Hug your furry friends a little tighter today and please spread the word. Our pets depend on us to keep them safe."
