James Michael came home one day to the sight every pet owner dreads: his Staffordshire bull terrier named Coco was collapsed on the floor of his kitchen.

James thought his pet was a goner, but after rushing Coco to his local animal hospital, vets were able to save this poor dog's life. They cleared out her stomach and found something shocking: 30 pieces of sugar-free gum stolen from her owner's bedroom drawer.

While you might not expect something as small as gum to pose any risk to your dog, many brands feature a chemical that's toxic to your pet.

Xylitol, an artificial sweeter that's common in sugar-free gum, candy, toothpaste and even vitamins, can cause serious symptoms if your dog eats it.

Lethargy and vomiting are the most common ones, but in the worst case your dog can fall into a coma. Xylitol can affect your health too, so you should also try to avoid it!

Luckily vets were able to save Coco in time. The naughty girl somehow opened a drawer to find the gum, and vets found a bottle cap in her stomach as well.

Hopefully this experience will teach her not to go looking for treats in the wrong places!

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