Keep xylitol away from your dog
A warning about xylitol, the sugar substitute that's used in some sugar-free gum, mints, candy, baked goods and ice cream.
The FDA says xylitol is safe for humans, but it can be harmful - sometimes fatal - to dogs and ferrets.
"It's severely toxic in certain doses and not very high doses," syas Dr. Brad Crauer, medical director at the Seattle Humane Society.
Crauer says when these guys eat xylitol, they can get hypoglycemia, a sudden drop in blood sugar. The xylitol can cause seizures, tremors, weakness, collapse, and in extreme cases: liver failure.
"It doesn't take more than a couple of sticks of gum to really cause some problems."
So keep the sugar-free goodies sweetened with xylitol out of reach.
The signs of illness may occur within minutes to days after your pet ingests xylitol: depression, loss of coordination and vomiting.
If you ever suspect your critter has gotten into something containing the sweetener xylitol, don't delay; call your vet right away.
For more information
Human Foods That Are Dangerous to Dogs and Cats
The FDA says xylitol is safe for humans, but it can be harmful - sometimes fatal - to dogs and ferrets.
"It's severely toxic in certain doses and not very high doses," syas Dr. Brad Crauer, medical director at the Seattle Humane Society.
Crauer says when these guys eat xylitol, they can get hypoglycemia, a sudden drop in blood sugar. The xylitol can cause seizures, tremors, weakness, collapse, and in extreme cases: liver failure.
"It doesn't take more than a couple of sticks of gum to really cause some problems."
So keep the sugar-free goodies sweetened with xylitol out of reach.
The signs of illness may occur within minutes to days after your pet ingests xylitol: depression, loss of coordination and vomiting.
If you ever suspect your critter has gotten into something containing the sweetener xylitol, don't delay; call your vet right away.
For more information
Human Foods That Are Dangerous to Dogs and Cats
If it is that bad for you dog why should we as humans be eating it???I am one of the 1% that can not have ANY artifial sweeteners. I have the same reaction as is warned here even if it is "just a mild" one. Time to get all this crap out of the food!
Â
 @bustedupredneck That's right. We should ban chocolate while we're at it.
 @bustedupredneck I am diabetic so artificial sweeteners help me control my glucose levels, and I find that chewing gum helps control my appetite. So, instead of banning everything, why don't we all just read the labels and use good sense about what we eat, and keep it out of reach of the dog?Â
 @Insomniac Dreams Why don't you learn to control your glucose levels better then you won't need to eat gum laced with crap. There is no good sense in chewing Xylitol, aspartame, or other candy laced with sorbitol.Â
@Insomniac Dreams
They just started using a "new" product in candy. It is a glucose syrup extract. Turns out it is made from grape sugar. Red grapes have sulfites in them and the extract is concentrated. I cannot even eat 2-3 pieces of it without having a reaction. It took over an hour trying to find out what in the very short list made me sick. For most it is no problem but others it is almost a life and death thing when they keep changing the chemicals they us in the processing of the food.
It must have been bad for the dog pictured in this article. For a young pup he looks all wrinkled and old now.