Your six-month-old puppy, Hoover, will eat anything
that isn’t tied down. Like many dog owners, you know
chocolate can be dangerous to your pooch. But you
may not know that if Hoover sticks his nose in your
handbag and eats a pack of sugarless chewing gum,
the consequences could be deadly.
Sugarless gum may contain xylitol, a class of
sweetener known as sugar alcohol. Xylitol is present
in many products and foods for human use, but can
have devastating effects on your pet.
Over the past several years, the Center for
Veterinary Medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has received several
reports—many of which pertained to chewing gum—of
dogs being poisoned by xylitol, according to Martine
Hartogensis, a veterinarian at FDA.
And you may have seen recent news stories about dogs
that have died or become very ill after eating
products containing xylitol.
Slightly lower in calories than sugar, this sugar
substitute is also often used to sweeten sugar-free
candy, such as mints and chocolate bars. Other
products that may contain xylitol include:
breath mints
baked goods
cough syrup
children’s and adult chewable vitamins
mouthwash
toothpaste.
In both people and dogs, the level of blood sugar is
controlled by the release of insulin from the
pancreas. In people, xylitol does not stimulate the
release of insulin from the pancreas. However, it’s
different in canines: When dogs eat something
containing xylitol, the xylitol is more quickly
absorbed into the bloodstream, and may result in a
potent release of insulin from the pancreas.
This rapid release of insulin may result in a rapid
and profound decrease in the level of blood sugar
(hypoglycemia), an effect that can occur within 10
to 60 minutes of eating the xylitol. Untreated, this
hypoglycemia can quickly be life-threatening,
Hartogensis says.
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include
vomiting, followed by symptoms associated with the
sudden lowering of your dog’s blood sugar, such as
decreased activity, weakness, staggering,
incoordination, collapse and seizures.
If you think your dog has eaten xylitol, take him to
your vet or an emergency animal hospital
immediately, Hartogensis advises. Because
hypoglycemia and other serious adverse effects may
not occur in some cases for up to 12 to 24 hours,
your dog may need to be monitored.
(A note to cat owners: The toxicity of xylitol for
cats has not been documented. They appear to be
spared, at least in part, by their disdain for
sweets.)
What Can You Do to Avoid Xylitol Poisoning in Your
Dog?
“If you’re concerned about your dog eating a food or
product with xylitol in it, check the label of
ingredients. If it does, indeed, say that it
contains xylitol, make sure your pet can’t get to
it.” Hartogensis says.
In addition:
Keep products that contain xylitol (including those
you don’t think of as food, such as toothpaste) well
out of your dog’s reach. Remember that some dogs are
adept at counter surfing.
Only use pet toothpaste for pets, never human
toothpaste.
If you give your dog nut butter as a treat or as a
vehicle for pills, check the label first to make
sure it doesn’t contain xylitol.
For more information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Link...
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