Xylitol Can Kill Your Dog
Many of us, in an effort to help keep our weight under control, have attempted to limit the amount of sugar in our diets by substituting low calorie sweeteners. We seek out natural alternatives, such as xylitol or stevia instead of Aspartame or Splenda, but this post isn’t about how bad Aspartame or Splenda are for you; it’s about how bad xylitol can be for your dog.
An October 2006 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) press release confirmed that xylitol can be highly dangerous for dogs. A clinical report appearing in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) discusses the sometimes fatal conditions developed by dogs that have ingested xylitol.
“Not all things that are natural are safe,” said veterinary toxicologist Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, who along with veterinarian Eric K. Dunayer co-authored the report. “There are plenty of things in the environment that are toxic to pets.” She goes on to say, “The potential for severe illness is very high. People don’t think sugar-free gum can kill their dog. I didn’t before I got into this. But this is something people should be aware of.”
More and more products these days are manufactured with xylitol instead of sugar, including candies, cookies, chewing gum, and toothpaste. A lot of dogs will eat anything they can get a hold of and many dogs seem to have sweet tooth, so it is very important to keep any product containing xylitol out of reach of your dog.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten something containing xylitol, contact your veterinarian immediately. The effects are so rapid that the window of opportunity to treat the dog is very small.
The ASPCA warns that within 30 minutes of consuming a small amount of a xylitol-sweetened product, dogs can experience a dramatic drop in blood sugar, and they usually begin vomiting, become lethargic and can have difficulty standing or walking. Some have seizures, develop internal hemorrhaging and lesions and suffer liver failure. As few as two or three sticks of xylitol gum could be toxic to a 20-pound dog. Immediate and aggressive veterinary treatment, which includes glucose drips and IV fluids, has proved effective in many cases.
There are no known issues with xylitol and cats, but cats typically don’t sniff out sweets like dogs do. A good rule for any pet owner, whether or not you own a dog, is to keep xylitol away from your pets.
Mail this post