Icebreakers gum may be a great way to "break the ice," but you wouldn't want to use them to help your dog freshen his breath. Many pet owners aren't aware that the artificial sweetener inside it and many other products, Xylitol, can be acutely toxic to dogs if the canines eat it. KCBS has the tragic story of one corgi who suffered acute liver failure after he got into a bag of Icebreakers.

KCBS reports:

The dog was bleeding internally. He was jaundiced. All the capillaries in his eyes had burst....

...McClain said that "she said to the doctor when she came in and said I can't believe this why isn't there a warning on the label?"

While Billy ate a lot of Xylitol gum, McClain has seen toxicity with a single piece. The symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, possible collapse and seizures.

Keep anything with Xylitol out of where your dog can get to it. If you think your dog has consumed anything with Xylitol in it, call your vet ASAP.

New findings on the effects of xylitol ingestion in dogs [Veterinary Medicine]
HealthWatch: Popular Sweetener May Pose Danger To Dogs [KCBS]

Stories about how she was selected varied: Some said Laika was chosen for her good looks — a Soviet space pioneer had to be photogenic. Others indicated the top choice for the mission was dropped because doctors took pity on her: Since there was no way to design a re-entry vehicle in time for the launch, the flight meant a certain death.

“Laika was quiet and charming,” Dr. Vladimir Yazdovsky wrote in his book chronicling the story of Soviet space medicine. He recalled that before heading to the launch pad, he took the dog home to play with his children. “I wanted to do something nice for her: She had so little time left to live,” Yazdovsky said.

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