Lexi the Labrador is one very lucky dog! This lovely girl was at home when her feline sibling knocked over a pack of Icebreakers gum, which Lexi quickly scarfed down. Unfortunately, the gum contained an ingredient called Xylitol. Xylitol is a sweetener that is common in gum, but for pets it can be deadly – even just a few pieces of gum can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), liver failure, and seizures. 
Thankfully for Lexi, her family acted fast and brought her straight to our Middletown ER where Dr. Urbonas, our head of emergency services, started treating her. Lexi was already hypoglycemic by the time she came in, and was admitted to the hospital for fluids, medication, and round-the-clock monitoring.
Thanks to the quick action of her family and the care from Dr. Urbonas and our ER staff, Lexi recovered and was able to return to her family after a few days at Pieper and making a full recovery.
Because Xylitol is a sugar substitute, it is often used in “sugar-free” foods like candies, breath mints, gummies, and baked goods – even typically dog-friendly treats like peanut butter can sometimes contain xylitol, so make sure to ALWAYS check the ingredients list. If you ever suspect that your pet has eaten anything with Xylitol, please contact your local ER vet ASAP!
Hill’s Pet Nutrition is voluntarily recalling select canned dog food products due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D. While vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, ingestion of elevated levels can lead to potential health issues depending on the level of vitamin D and the length of exposure, and dogs may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. Vitamin D, when consumed at very high levels, can lead to serious health issues in dogs including renal dysfunction. Pet parents with dogs who have consumed any of the products listed and are exhibiting any of these signs should contact their veterinarian.
For families affected by the ongoing government shutdown, Pieper Veterinary would like to help. If you are a federal employee and find your pet in need of emergency care, please inform our front desk staff at our Middletown or Madison 24 hour emergency hospitals. We have flexible payment options and support that we can offer you to help ensure that your pet continues to have access to the care that they need. Please bring your federal ID card.
The recent winter storm has covered the state in ice, and with it, has brought some unexpected dangers! This beautiful girl is Lavie, a 1-year-old Lab mix who decided to sneakily grab a snack from a bag of icemelt (a chemical mix used to keep roads and sidewalks unfrozen). Her family brought her to our emergency hospital in Middletown, where she saw Dr. Tipton.
Icemelts are toxic to dogs and cats, but luckily Lavie's bloodwork showed that she hadn't eaten quite enough to have any severe side effects. After getting some fluids to keep her hydrated and some stomach meds, she was able to go back home with her family.
As the snow starts to move in tonight we wanted to remind you that no matter what, our Middletown and Madison Emergency Room locations WILL remain open. We're here if you need us. Be safe!!
Our emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day, and that includes Christmas! A huge THANK you to our hardworking doctors in this photo, and all the other staff, technicians, assistants, receptionists, and other people who keep our emergency rooms in both Middletown and. Madison running all day, every single day, just in case you need us. Thank you ALL, you’re amazing!
