A Dog's Life
Kids love Chewits. They have absolutely no nutritional value of any kind, are clearly made in a chemist's laboratory and should be banned for the amount of sugar-intoxicated rage they imbibe in their young fans, but they're still wolfed down like they're going out of fashion.

ANYWAY... I was one of those Chewit addicts, back in the early 90s. Ate tons of them.

One day during the summer holidays, I was entranced watching the cruddy daytime tv what plagues kids whilst it pissed it down outside, chomping on Fruit Salad Chewits like there was no tomorrow.

Anyway, without thinking, I fed Ben, my pet dog, one of my Chewits.

Oh. My. God. Have you ever seen a dog try to chew a toffee or other such jaw-tiring confectionary? It is hilarious.

Ben, who was the most loyal and friendly dog in the world, spent a good half hour trying to digest the sweet, teeth chattering to the nines and tongue trying to reach around his gums to get a good hold of it. It was becoming a real effort for the mutt.

After a while though, it appeared that Ben was becoming quite distressed about the whole matter, having a sorrowful look in his eyes, a furrowed brow and making occasional whelps to indicate his plight.

It wasn't funny anymore, and I was starting to feel a bit guilty. I grabbed hold of Ben, fished around in the poor dog's gob and removed the offending item. I'd have felt less awful if I'd told him (in dog speak) that I'd run his mum over in my car.

As soon as I got the Chewit out, Ben legged it out of the living room, up the stairs, and to the end of my parent's bed. He didn't come out for a few hours, and when he did he avoided me for a good couple of days.

There's a postscript to this story too.

A few weeks later, I was back at school. I'd walked Ben with me during my paper round in the morning - much to his apparent chagrin seeing as he appeared not to have forgiven me for the aforementioned incident and made a big fuss of dragging me round my route rather than trotting along.

Anyway, I was walking back from school in the evening when I saw Ben a few streets away from my house. I called him over, and noticed that he wasn't quite right. He struggled to run, was panting all the time and his ribs seemed bloated. I stopped after a bit, let him have a rest, and looked at his face and I could swear he was crying. He gave me a lick on the face as if to say he was OK, and we plodded on home.

By the time we got home he was yelping quite horrible sounds and clearly in distress. I'd had to carry him the last few yards to the house. My stepdad said something wasn't right, and called the vet. By now the whole family was in tears. Ben was a great dog, a true part of the family, he'd been loyal to me and my brother and now here he was, not in good health at all and there was nothing we could do.

Ben was taken to the vets by my stepdad, a couple of hours passed, and then my stepdad return. Alone.

Ben had a twisted stomach, the cause of which unknown, but he'd been under severe stress because of it and the pain must have been awful. Hearing this, I broke down. I didn't say why I was so upset, but I was ridden with guilt because I thought of what I'd done those weeks back.

I doubt now that the whole Chewit thing had caused Ben's twisted stomach, but if I ever found out it had, I'd be the PDSA's largest financial donator ever to make up for my ill treatment of a dog who was a brilliant pet.

I'm sorry Ben.

P.S. Apologies for the grim tale, but I felt I had to get it off my chest.
P.P.S. I haven't touched a Chewit in years.
(scentless_apprentice takes two bottles into the shower!, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 11:16, 6 replies)

I highly doubt the Chewit could have caused it.
I looked up the causes of twisted stomach on Wiki, and whilst there's a very slim chance it could have been the cause (it can be caused by eating particles under 30mm in size) I don't think just one Chewit could have triggered it.

You get a click for such good storytelling.
( Bob Todd whee, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 11:30, closed)

Brilliant storytelling...
...really enjoyed reading this.
Regardless of whether the chewit caused Ben's demise (unlikely) I can assure you that dead dogs always forgive their owners and that Ben will be waiting for you with doeful eyes at the Pearly Gates.

But just in case I'm wrong (unlikely) it might be wise to guard your bollocks when you meet him the afterlife.
(emadex thinks the world will end on, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 13:05, closed)

awww
I honestly dont think it was the Chewit. I mean the dog didnt eat it, it couldnt "chew it" you took it off hime. So it cant have been that. Wasnt youre fault dude. Just one of those things.
(Miggyman, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 13:40, closed)

My toffee dog story
involved a dog called Ben too... but he fkin loved those toffees. He probably ate several bags full over the years.

Don't feel guilty about it. If he was anything like my friend's dog, you probably gifted him an obscene amount of pleasure as he mangled his way through the sweeties.

*click* (for a good story and sweetie loving dogs everywhere)
( chart cat has an itch, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 13:52, closed)

Bad luck
Twisted stomach is just one of those horrible things, even if caught in time vets can't treat it and its not caused by what they eat. I know because its what killed my guinea pig. So don't beat yourself up, my dog loved chewits and toffees and it sounds like he was a very loved pet.
Larx
(resurrection_mary cannibal_ferox, Sat 8 Dec 2007, 18:23, closed)

You didn't cause it
Who knows what caused it, but once it happened, it's almost 100% fatal. The tummy inflates with gas and if there's room enough*, it turns on its axis, crimping both ends shut. The stomach is like a great big Cristmas cracker with no way to open it. the circulation fails and things go south quickly.

There's no way you could have known and in fact, your family did exactly the right thing-get him to vet within an hour or less. You helped Ben the only way possible-please don't beat yourself up.

*That's why it's so much more frequent in larger, deep chested dogs like retrievers and shepherds.
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Sun 9 Dec 2007, 23:15, closed)