Puppy that collapsed on walk is saved with overdose antidote

ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) — A puppy that collapsed after ingesting some sort of opioid in Massachusetts has survived after being given an overdose reversal drug more often administered to humans.

Peter Thibault tells The Eagle-Tribune he was walking his 3-month-old yellow Labrador named Zoey in Andover last week when the dog picked up a pack of cigarettes on the ground and soon passed out.

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He carried her home and when she got worse, Thibault took Zoey to a veterinary hospital.

After hearing the story, a veterinarian administered several doses of naloxone over 12 hours.

Veterinarians think Zoey ingested fentanyl because heroin would have likely taken longer to leave her system and would have required more naloxone.

The hospital’s medical director says it’s not the first time they treated a dog for an opioid overdose.