by Annie Jane

Created on: January 05, 2009

Xylitol is an organic compound used instead of sugar to sweeten food items such as sugar-free gum, baked goods, toothpaste, breath fresheners, and sugar-free candies. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol created from raspberries, plums, corn, and birch. Xylitol can also be found in Starbucks products and Flintstones Chewable Vitamins for kids.

Although Xylitol only effect on human health is slight laxative problems, if ingested by a dog it could be fatal. It would only take one to two pieces of gum to poison a dog weighing less than twenty pounds. Some veterinarians say it only takes one gram per pound to kill a dog. Signs of poisoning can appear as quick as thirty minutes after indigested; but can also not appear for almost twenty-four hours. Signs are:

Vomiting

Weakness

Lethargy (slowness, being exceptionally tired)

Uncoordinated movements (also called Ataxia)

Depression

Seizures

Coma

Liver failure

Hypokalemia (low potassium levels)

Hypoglycemia (drop in blood sugar)

Shock

Bleeding under the skin or in the gastrointestinal tract

In the case of intoxication, call an Animal Poison Control Center and/or a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you catch poisoning before signs begin to set in, the vet may advise you to induce vomiting to try to get the Xylitol out of the dogs system. Dogs can eat food with Xylitol and not get poisoning if it was a very small amount. However, most of the time these dogs get liver failure as some point later on in life.

The most important treatment is keeping these dangerous products out of the line of fire for dogs. Avoid leaving any type of food where dogs can get them. Start using a trashcan with a lid so that they can't knock over the trash can and accidently eat something containing Xylitol or any other poisonous food; moldy or spoiled food is especially dangerous to dogs for the same reason it's dangerous to humans. The food industry is starting to use Xylitol to sweeten foods more and more because it's not only cheaper, it's less fattening and better for our teeth. Many products that use to be okay to feed pets are changing ingredients without notification. Which is dangerous because breeders used to feed their dogs kid vitamins to keep their animals healthy; and without notice Xylitol has been added as an ingredient, poisoning quite a few dogs in the process. Make sure to read labels before you feed anything to your dog, even if it has been safe for them in the past. Also be aware that there are more poisonings rising in food than just Xylitol.

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