Update your knowledge of this human food sweetener that is a danger
to pets.
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Often used as an artificial sweetener in foods, including sugar-free
gum, sugar-free mints, chewable vitamins, toothpaste and oral-care products,
Xylitol is often available in a granulated form at your local supermarket for
baking and beverage sweeteners.
Why is xylitol so dangerous for dogs and cats?
Xylitol is safe for people, but because of different metabolisms, it can
be fatal for dogs and cats. A simple piece of biscuit could kill an animal if
the danger is unknown and not addressed immediately. Hypoglycaemia may compound
into liver toxicity, liver damage, and ultimately liver failure. Sugar-free
chewing gum is the most common cause of xylitol poisoning in pets. However, the
recent introduction of xylitol as a substitute for sugar in grocery stores has
increased the potential for toxicity.
What are the signs a dog might have eaten xylitol?
Immediately after ingestion, vomiting may occur. Hypoglycaemia develops within
30 to 60 minutes, resulting in lethargy and weakness. These signs may quickly
develop into ataxia, collapse, and seizures. Prolonged blood clotting times as
well as skin and intestinal haemorrhaging are clinical signs that may develop
within hours and warrant a very poor prognosis.
What is the treatment and prognosis?
You must consult your veterinary surgeon immediately. Inducing vomiting removes
the xylitol and is imperative, but close monitoring of blood sugar levels and
intravenous infusions of glucose may also be needed depending on the amount
ingested and how quickly the problem was recognized. The prognosis for dogs
with hypoglycaemia is good with immediate and proper treatment, while the
prognosis for dogs that have developed liver toxicity is poor. Large ingestions
of xylitol (a relatively small amount of the product) that are not caught
immediately can result in fulminant liver failure and death despite aggressive
supportive care. This can occur in less than 36 hours in dogs that are
otherwise young and healthy.
Foods with xylitol
Sugar-free chewing gum isn’t the only product containing
xylitol which belongs to class of sweeteners know as sugar alcohol. Slightly
lower in calories than sugar, this sugar substitute is also used to sweeten
sugar-free sweets such as mints and chocolate bars.
Other products that may contain xylitol include:
- Breath mints
- Baked goods
- Children’s and adult chewable vitamins
- Cough syrup
- Dietary supplements
- Mouthwash
- Over-the-counter medicines
- Peanut and nut butters
- Sugar-free desserts, including “skinny” ice cream
- Human toothpastes
Xylitol can be used in baked goods, too, such as cakes,
muffins and pies—often because the baker is substituting another sweetener for
sugar, as in products for people with diabetes. People can buy xylitol in bulk
to bake sweet treats at home, and many in-store bakeries
Some paediatric dentists also recommend xylitol-containing
chewing gum for children, and these products could end up in a dog’s mouth by
accident. It’s a good idea to keep all such products well out of your dog’s
reach.
What you can do to avoid xylitol poisoning in
your dog
Check ingredient labels, especially on sugar-free items,
for xylitol. If a product contains xylitol, make sure your pet can’t get to it.
Keep those products well out of your dog’s reach. Only use pet toothpaste for
pets, never human toothpaste. Watch nut butters and read the list of
ingredients before offering them to your dog to make sure it doesn’t contain
xylitol.
Cats and Ferrets
Xylitol does not seem to be as dangerous for cats and other
pets. Cats appear to be spared, at least in part, by their disdain for sweets.
Ferret owners, however, should be careful, as ferrets have been known to
develop low blood sugar and seizures, like dogs, after eating products
containing xylitol.