The heartbreaking story of a dog who passed after being exposed to cleaning chemicals while her veterinarian refused to see her, has divided internet users.
In a viral TikTok video, shared in October by @xoxo._.hailey17, the poster claims that, after being exposed to a common household cleaner, her dog showed severe chemical poisoning signs, and her veterinarian refused to see her for a specific reason. “My dog was dying from Fabuloso and the vet refused to see her without a parvo test, and me screaming at them she was dying and they just walked away, and she took her last breath in my lap.
“And then the vet had the audacity to come back and say ‘so her parvo test came back negative,” the poster added.
However, Dr. Carly Fox, senior veterinarian in the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center’s Emergency & Critical Care Service, told Newsweek that veterinarians can refuse to see any patient at any time.
Fox said that this can happen when pets do not have an appointment, do not have an established doctor/patient relationship, or if the practice does not feel like they are equipped to handle the pet’s need.
As for cleaning products, Dr. Nita Vasudevan, veterinarian at Embrace Pet Insurance, told Newsweek that all products with bleach, ammonia, phenols, and hydrogen peroxide, can cause respiratory irritation, burns, and toxicity if ingested or inhaled.
Vasudevan said: “Pets are also prone to lick surfaces, which increases the risk of accidental ingestion. Always opt for pet-safe, non-toxic cleaning agents or make natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar and baking soda.
“Ensure good ventilation when using any chemicals, and keep pets in a separate room until surfaces are completely dry. Regularly wash pet bedding and toys with gentle, unscented detergents to minimize irritants.”
If your pet is exposed to a cleaning product and you are unsure if their signs are related, you can contact ASPCA poison control to get specific information regarding the product and your pet’s risks and take them to the vet for peace of mind.
Newsweek has reached out to Fabuloso for comment via email.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 8.2 million views and more than 669,000 likes on the platform.
One user, Grace, commented: “This is why I lock my dogs up when I mop until they are completely dry.”
PixieDustandMainStreet said: “As someone who used to work in veterinary ED … absolutely not. You gown up and use the isolation room if you need to but you don’t withhold stabilization. Honey, I am so incredibly sorry. I have no words.”
3gative3nergy added: “As sad as this is, the vet did right by testing for parvo first, that could’ve wiped out every dog in there, they can’t take risks. Imagine you take your dog there for a routine appointment and your dog catches parvo because of the vet’s negligence.”
Another user, Alia, suggested: “Always go the animal ER! Sometimes vet clinics legally can’t help right away if they don’t have certain tests!”
Newsweek reached out to u/xoxo._.hailey17 for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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