A family in the Northwest Territories faced a crisis a week before Christmas when their dog, Denali, a large bull mastiff, ingested a significant amount of its allergy medication, Apoquel. The dog’s owner, Trevor Beck, was away when the incident occurred, but his daughter quickly noticed the pills missing. The family realized that Denali had consumed 100 pills, which were in treat form and resembled kibble.
With no local veterinary clinic in Hay River, the family urgently sought help. They contacted Dr. Jenn McCracken from the Manning Veterinary Clinic in Manning, Alberta, who occasionally provides services in Hay River. Dr. McCracken, upon assessing the situation, noted that the dosage could have been toxic for Denali due to her size.
Fortunately, Denali had also consumed other items that day, such as a loaf of bread and garbage, which likely mitigated the impact of the medication ingestion. The RCMP assisted by administering medication to induce vomiting, which prevented most of the Apoquel from entering Denali’s bloodstream. Activated charcoal was then used to absorb any remaining toxins.
Community members, including Beck’s mother and Staff Sgt. Phil Unger from the Hay River RCMP, played crucial roles in obtaining necessary supplies and aiding in the dog’s recovery. Beck expressed gratitude for the community’s support and credited their swift action for Denali’s survival, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in such situations.