Dog owners: be warned about sugar-free goodies, gum can kill
If you think it’s no big deal that your dog just ate some sugar-free gum or a cookie or two, think again. You may want to take a trip to your veterinarian.
While vets have suspected that the sugar substitute xylitol can make dogs sick, the American Veterinary Medical Associations says there is now further clinical evidence of an association between the product and possible liver failure in dogs.
A clinical report that appeared in the October 1st Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association discusses the sometimes fatal conditions developed by dogs that have ingested xylitol. Xylitol is sweetener found in many sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and toothpastes.
Veterinary toxicologist Sharon Gwaltney-Brant and veterinarian Eric K. Dunayer gathered information on eight dogs that were treated between 2003 and 2005 after eating products containing xylitol. Each dog became ill and five either died or had to be euthanized because of liver failure.
One dog in the study that had to be euthanized because of its condition had eaten four large, chocolate-frosted muffins that contained about 1 pound of xylitol.
The number of xylitol-related pet exposures is on the rise, according to Dr. Gwaltney-Brant, partly because of increased awareness, but more so because xylitol is being used in more products.
“This is the tip of the iceberg now,” she said. “Anything that is sugar-free could potentially have substituted xylitol for the original sweetener,” said Gwaltney-Brant.
Some sugar-free chewing gums, she said, are as much as 70 percent xylitol, depending on the brand and whether the product is used as a primary sweetener.
“A 22-pound dog who consumes 1 gram of xylitol should be treated,” she said. “This can equate to 3 to 4 pieces of some gum products.”
There is no information on whether severe xylitol poisoning has occurred in cats.
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