A dog owner in Colorado is devastated that her adorable white terrier has died after she swallowed a penny.
The tiny dog, Sierra, died in March from zinc poisoning. Pennies minted after 1982 contain are copper but with a zinc core, that is toxic to cats and dogs.
Now the distraught pet lover is warning other owners to keep a careful watch on their furry companions to prevent the heartache she feels.
Adorable: A dog owner in Colorado is devastated that her adorable white terrier has died after she swallowed a penny
Touching: The adorable dog, Sierra, died in March from zinc poisoning. Pennies minted after 1982 are copper but with a zinc core
Medical help: An X-ray showed that Sierra was ill because the dog had swallowed a quarter and a penny
'I used to call her my walking heart on four legs; just one of the nicest dogs,' Maryann Goldstein, the owner of the deceased pet told KCNC-TV.
She said the little pooch always was attracted to shiny coins and had previously ingested change in the past.
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'I just couldn't believe it, and this time she wasn't so lucky,' said Goldstein.
In March, little Sierra got sick and Goldstein took Sierra to the local veterinarian.
An X-ray showed that Sierra had a penny and quarter in her stomach.
Grief: The dog's owner, Maryann Goldstein, is in mourning over the loss of her furry friend
In remembrance: Maryann Goldstein wears a necklace (left) that contains some of Sierra's ashes. The rest of Sierra's ashes are stored in this heart shaped urn (right)
The penny posed the most risk to the dog because pennies minted after 1982 contain zinc, which is toxic to cats and dogs, the local CBS TV station reported.
Zinc in the pennies reacts with gastric acid in the the pets' stomach and it can thus be quickly absorbed into the dog's body.
Veterinarian Dr Rebecca Jackson told CBS that zinc interferes with red blood cell production.
Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, lethargy, red-colored urine or looking jaundiced.
'Zinc toxicosis is more commonly seen in dogs, but cats can get sick from eating pennies, too,' Dr Jackson warned.
'Be sure to bank your spare change before curious pets can get their paws on it -- and if they do, get them to the emergency vet immediately.'
Goldstein said she still can't believe that her favorite companion is gone.
In Sierra's memory, her owner wears some of the dog's ashes in a necklace and has stored the rest of her ashes in a heart-shaped urn.
In March, a Jack Russell terrier in New York City fell ill when he ate 111 pennies.
The dog, named Jack, began to vomit and a vet determined the cause of the sickness. The doctor was able to remove the pennies four to five coins at a time, until all 111 were extracted.