Xylitol kills dogs! So kill the Xylitol in YOUR diet!

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Xylitol kills dogs! So kill the Xylitol in YOUR diet!

May 26th, 2009

Xylitol is a low-calorie sugar substitute that’s helped diabetics and weight loss seekers get their sugar fix––in spite of dietary restrictions. And, just like chocolate and grapes, it’s natural, further disproving the claim that “natural is always safe.”

That’s because Xylitol, a sugar compound sourced from the Birch tree, has been recently discovered to be 100 percent lethal to dogs. In many cases, the quantity of Xylitol-containing food was small––as in a box of sugar-free Tic-Tacs (really), a Jell-O sugar free pudding snack or one sugar-free cupcake.

With Xylitol poisoning the most obvious sign is seizuring...as your dog's blood sugar levels plummet. Should she survive this phase, liver toxicity and clotting problems often result.

As if that wasn't enough to strike fear into the heart of any dog lover, the additional danger in Xylitol is three-fold:

Only small quantities are needed to do serious damage
Xylitol is found in an increasing number of consumer products and foodstuffs (kid’s vitamins, mints, gums, toothpaste, sugar-free baked goods, etc.)
Most dog owners don’t yet know about it

As a veterinarian, the latter hazard seems most pressing to me. After all, if you have no idea that Starbucks mints contain Xylitol, you won’t be so careful about where you leave your purse. If you don’t know that a sugar-free cupcake contains it, you might not think twice about throwing a stale one your dogs’ way––or leaving the box on the counter.

Not until your dog starts seizuring, as her blood sugar drops, will you begin to wonder what could have led to her physiological free-fall.

This is really scary stuff. More so because many veterinarians are still in the dark about Xylitol, its effects and its prevalence. A seizuring dog? Could be from anything. Unless you’re asked about specific food poisons, you might not think to check if your gum is still in your pocket. You might have forgotten about the pastry, stressed out as you now are.

Which begs the question: Should these products be labeled “unsafe for canine consumption”?

Though I’d like that to be the case, it’s not happening anytime soon. After all, chocolates and grapes don’t host warning labels. Because ultimately, it’s up to YOU to know better. And now you do.

Spread the word among your dog-loving friends. Read your labels. Don’t buy these products unless you truly need them in your diet (until they switch to another sweetener choice). Inform your family. And, if you choose to use these products, be very careful where you leave them.

Finally, feel free to lobby your local Starbucks to substitute Xylitol for safer sweeteners in their mints and gums. Tell Flintstone’s their vitamins need not contain it. Send out emails to companies who use Xylitol in their product lines. For those of you willing to get in on the act and save a few dogs’ lives, here’s a list of the consumer products that currently contain Xylitol. Make YOUR voice heard.

Oh, and don't forget to email me (p.khuly@petmd.com) the topics you’d most like to hear about––medical, money, ethical or otherwise––and prepare yourself for my opinionated answers.

Dr. Patty Khuly

23 comment(s)

Thanx for grat site by GarykPatton on 06/16/2009 08:18am

Hello. I think the article is really interesting. I am even interested in reading more. How soon will you update your blog?

a little irresponsible. by LNguyen on 07/08/2009 02:23pm

I think it's great that you are trying to make people aware of the dangers of xylitol to dogs, and I will certainly be more aware of where I place my purse, in order to protect my own two. But to suggest that readers boycott xylitol-containing products, or ask producers to change their formulations is irresponsible, considering the benefits to HUMANS that xylitol can provide. You clearly did not do any research as to why xylitol is gaining in popularity. There is good reason. Besides satisfying the sweet tooth of people with sugar intolerances (very low glycemic affect), it is proving extremely helpful in preventing tooth decay and reducing ear infections in children who are prone to them, because of it's antimicrobial properties.

by Dolittler on 07/09/2009 02:44pm

LNguyen: I welcome your perspective but respectfully disagree with your take. After all, these products have always existed without xylitol's inclusion.

Sugar-free mints and sugar-free cupcakes do not need xylitol to remain beneficial for humans who need sugar substitutes in their diet. (Though one could argue that no human absolutely requires sugar-free anything in their diet.)

The reason it has become more popular is that it has recently become less expensive than it once was.

Moreover, it's not that I'm 100% asking them to stop using it. What I DO want is proper labeling, if a company deems it necessary to include it in lethal doses in their products. You'd think so, too, if you ever had to deal with one of these patients--or their grief-stricken parents.

Xylitol Article by Jonathan on 08/01/2009 10:53am

My friend's dog got ahold of a pack of gum containg Xylito the other day, luckily she caught him in the act but not until he had eaten the entire package. Being smart she induced vomiting and the dog spent the day at the vet being monitored. He is just fine. Unbelievable to think that her dog had just swallowed a fatal dose of poison and she acted fast and saved his life. I think of products with this toxin have no business in a house with pets any more than I'd leave a loaded handgun in a house with children.

by Alexander on 08/07/2009 06:00pm

This article indeed is interesting and teaching. Though changing xylitol to other sugarfree sweeteners in products (which seems to be your opinion) is highly irresponsible as the most popular sweeteners such as Aspartame and Ascelufame-K has been proven to highly reduce the risks of various cancer forms and brain tumors. Deffinately I think that there should be a warning for all dog owners on products containing xylitol. But xylitol should never be removed from any products intended for humans, only be introduced to new ones.

by Dentist on 08/25/2009 03:43pm

Wow really did not know that ...poor dogs i love my dog lucky xylitol is not found in that many producs apart from chewing gum and toothpastes but it really helps the teeth fith cavities just read here

by QBP Alicia Ruiz Cantu on 08/25/2009 04:57pm

This is a great site to learn more.
Congrats

Greetings from Mexico

Xylitol Consumption by Kali Kunkle on 08/29/2009 10:18pm

Our 18 pound dachshund somehow retrieved two brand new packs of Orbit gum off the middle of our kitchen table. He happily ate ALL 28 pieces!! Luckily, our 17yo came home & called me. We rushed him to the vet-where they induced vomiting & ran labs which all came back normal. We knew xylitol was not good for dogs-& thought we were very careful with the gum-but we had no idea that as little as 2 pieces of gum can be fatal. Thankfully our little guy is ok & is now a 'xylitol survivor.' It would be great if companies who use xylitol in their products would help increase awareness regarding the dangers that xylitol poses for animals.

xylitol is wonderful by Lisa Kracht on 09/04/2009 08:04am

so do not give it to the canines...i am more excited regarding the human pleasures and benefits. ...DUH

Thanks for the hint! by Freddy on 09/07/2009 10:28am

I don't give my dog sweets but I can't watch the kids too. I'll make sure that their cookies and cakes don't contain xylitol so if they do feed the dog their sweets he'll be all right. Speaking of other subjects, I was wondering what dog owners feel about dog clothes. I myself use them when the weather is very cold for my short haired.

Xylitol by zooey on 09/12/2009 10:03am

When we bring animals into our lives, the possibility for contact with dangerous chemicals/drugs exists on both sides. But suggesting that we remove zxylitol from products to safeguard our pets is sort of like saying why don't we remove everything that might endanger an animal. In my house, it's a constant battle to get people to pick up socks -- we have a dog who chronically eats socks. This is a huge danger to dogs. Do we ban socks in our house? No. Or maybe your dog consumes dangerous amounts of sticks -- can you eradicate sticks in your environment? What about the dog that has become dangerously ill or died from garbage toxicity? You do your best to secure the garbage. But 100% avoidance is pretty hard to achieve. So, keep the candy and gum and toothpaste out of reach of animals, which is where they should be along with the tylenol, advil, and aspirin. Let's return to common sense.

Speaking as dog owner who nearly lost her dog by Jennifer on 10/06/2009 11:13pm

My dog snatched a pack of gum with xylitol off of my kitchen counter and we have been in and out of the emergency vet for the past three days. Even though she is a 90 pound dog and I brought her in almost immediately, she is struggling to recover. Her blood sugar has finally stabilized and we are waiting to find out about liver damage. While I understand the benefits of xylitol for humans, I won't be buying anything with that ingredient ever again. It is scary that xylitol is being used more and more as a sugar substitute and very few people know that is completely toxic for dogs. I hope the word gets out.

Xylitol stricken Westie by Hank Tomlinson on 10/12/2009 11:15am

I scrambled to the Albuquerque Animal Emergency clinic at 4:00 am this morning with our unconscious, seizuring Westie, Snowy. We are a pet and safety knowledgeable family with 4 teens, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 birds. My mother raised show dogs; my father-in-law was a sheep rancher. Until a sharp, young vet, Dan Dugger deduced Xylitol as the likely culprit, I had never heard of it. Orbit gum, dropped on a bedroom floor by a friend, seems to be the culprit. Snowy will remain under 24 hr. observation while receiving medical treatment. Cost will be $1500 to $3000 with a 70% chance of survival. Wish us luck with our Snowy and wish that more of this kind of pet info becomes routine from animal shelters and vets.

good to know but looney tunes perspective by Tom Bradley on 10/27/2009 08:01am

Its important to know that xylitol is toxic to dogs but equally important to know that its good for people. To suggest that we boycott establishments that are enlightened enough to use xylitol is total looney tunes.

Your comment - it’s natural, further disproving the claim that “natural is always safe.” That's a first for me. As an educated Vet you must know that MANY substances in nature are dangerous or fatal to consume (for people or dogs).

Dog lovers - protect your dogs (from all dangers - and xylitol is only one of many). All others - reap the many significant benefits of xylitol. Support those products and establishments using xylitol rather than the junk (and dangerous to humans) sugar substitute (man-made) alternatives.

Pet owners should send this article to everyone they know! by AHart on 11/08/2009 05:45pm

Last night, I happened to notice the remains of a Trident gum package on our upstairs sofa. When I brought it downstairs to show my wife and daughter what our two miniature Schnauzers had gotten into, they both went into hyper drive. Fortunately for us both my wife and daughter knew about xylitol’s toxicity from an email they had received from my mother-in-law. I have never heard of this risk. We called our local animal ER who instructed us to call poison control. They walked through the steps to induce our dogs to vomit. After confirming they had each eaten a few pieces of Trident sugar free gum, we rushed them to the 24-hour pet emergency room. Almost $2,000 and 24 hours later, our four-legged loved ones will be safe. They will both have to take meds for three weeks to help their livers recover. If my wife and daughter hadn’t received that email warning of the dangers of xylitol for dogs, we would not have known to take any action and our beloved pets would have died. What I want to know is why this problem hasn’t become common knowledge? Something as toxic as this substance should bear a warning label. Sure, it may be safe for human consumption, but in my opinion, the FDA should mandate warnings when a human-safe product is highly leathal to pets. We will all likely die of old age before that happens. So, rather than wait for FDA action, I suggest pet owners boycott foods containing this substance until they bear clear warnings such as “EXTREMELY HARMFUL IF CONSUMED BY DOGS”. We plan to never consciously purchase another product containing xylitol. In fact, this pack of gum was brought into our home by my kids’ friends. We also intend to send this article to everyone in our address book. I hate email spam, but in this case, if mainstream media won’t take up the issue, individuals who love their pets must do so. I encourage everyone who reads this article to send it to everyone they know and ask them to do the same. You never know whose four-legged loved one you will be saving.

Xylitol in SF Jello Pudding by brandy on 11/09/2009 06:04pm

Today my two schnauzers got a hold of my SF Carmel Pudding cup, with Xylitol in it. Thank God I had the right mind to call the vet and while the she was not familiar with cases involving pudding (only gum) we took them to the vet anyhow. They induced vomiting and the older one threw up right away; the younger one needed a shot of morphine to assist in vomiting. They both will be spending the night at the vets getting fluids and a sugar drip. I wish to God I had known about this toxic chemical before hand. Now that I do know, no product that contains this will ever be in my house again. The vet did initial sugar tests and both came back normal, so I'm praying that they remain that way. Heck of a price to pay for a $2.89 pack of pudding. Thank you for the article and I've already passed it along to friends and family who have pets.

important info, but extreme stance by laura on 11/17/2009 01:08am

i'm obsessed with what my dogs have access to at all times. although i've taught them not to get into anything and they never chew on things, i never take that for granted. that said, why is it so ridiculous to have an item in my cupboard with Xylitol in it? Until my dogs grow thumbs, keeping an item with Xylitol in my home is no more dangerous than having chocolate (also dangerous for dogs, of course) around. As long as all potential dangers are stored well out of reach (coolant, etc), there should be no problem. I think that the bigger problem is just that most dog owners are ignorant of potential dangers to their canine companions, and at the same time, do not take the adequate care to monitor them properly. Maybe they take slightly less monitoring than a child once there out of puppydom, but they are eternally helpless in a domestic situation and will always need great care.

xylitol in l-theanine suntheanine by tadams on 11/19/2009 06:42pm

For anyone who is considering using this supplement for anxiety in their dogs; the human chewable version usually contains xylitol! I just found this out today and have immediately substituted a capsule non-chewable version for my dog which does not contain these additives. There is a dog version that is completely safe and does not contain any sugar additives or sugar substitutes. So watch for human versions of supplements for your dog that it doesnt contain harmful ingredients to your dog. Fortunately, my dog has not been affected by this, but, I'm certainly not willing to take the chance.

by Darrell on 12/03/2009 10:39pm

What about chocolate? Or grapes? Those are both lethal to dogs, she we boycott them? Xylitol has MANY health benefits for humans, and provides a safe, natural alternative to artificial and high-GI sweeteners. I only wish that food manufacturers would replace ALL their sweeteners with it and/or erythritol.

If you keep a Dog, Lose the xylitol by Laura Duncan on 12/20/2009 04:13am

Ok, so xylitol is the answer to all the woes of childrens ear infections, to corporate greed, and whatever else you people are pushing. Heres the deal. When you take responsability foran animal, which by the way couldnt care less where you "hide" anything. You are expected to take risk away from those in yur charge. No honey or asprin to young children. No chocolate or grapes to Dogs... Oh yeah and dont give your children access to loaded guns or leave out rat poison for them. For your dog, lose the toxic xylitol, and antifreeze. If you wonder why I am writing this at 4 AM? Its because I have a 16 year old that doesnt listen "16 yer old anyone?...." She left it right there on the floor. I am not wealthy, and could not fork out the 5K in imediate payment for the ER. Soooo, after the 200 for vomit induction only.. I am up taking the glucometer reading every hour on the hour, feeding my Siberian super high carb high nutrient paste on bread. I am not going to sleep for at least the next 72 hrs in more than 3hr installments. because I am responsible for my dog regardless of who bought gum I have vocally banned from my house. A warning isnt manditory on the gum and other products, it would be responsible though.... Just sayin, you can only afford to be so "Darrell" if you have only "humans in your home. My daughter now has learned a life lesson, She is bside herself. She didnt buy the gum to rebel... Please she has better ways of accomplishing that. She just really wanted the gum and bought it... no thought involved. It could have ben anyone visiting overnight. All kinds of scenarios are possible that lead up to this.. Ok gotta go. Drawing enough blood to get the meter to read takes a while, and it takes 2 of us unless I want to be bitten... Merry Christmas!!! :-(

by jobo on 01/29/2010 12:44pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol

Humans themselves produce about 15 grams of Xylitol a day. A cup of raspberries contains about 1 gram of Xylitol. Corn cobs (which most commercial Xylitol is made from) contain lots of Xylitol. Plums berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms all contain Xylitol.

If you have a dog - you can choose not to have Xylitol products in your house. But to say that no products should have Xylitol is unrealistic given the superior performance for Xylitol in dental health for humans over other sweeteners. (6 grams of Xylitol daily spread over at least 3 dosages is the recommended dosage).

Spend a bit of time researching. Google yields numerous results covering the Scientific research around Xylitol for dental, ear infections, osteoporosis, and upper respiratory infections. The most exciting benefit is pregnant women who consume Xylitol reduces the probability of transmitting the Streptococcus mutans bacteria, which is responsible for tooth decay, from mother to child during the first two years of life by as much as 80%.

I can support a toxicity warning but fundamentally it's my responsibility to keep toxic substances away from my cat, dog, and kids. They could just as easily lap at an anti-freeze spill, slurp a toxic pill, chocolate, etc.

The key here is wide spread education not boycott.

Ref. on Canine Toxicity by jobo on 01/29/2010 12:52pm

# ^ Dunayer, E.K., Gwaltney-Brant, S.M. (2006) Acute hepatic failure and coagulopathy associated with xylitol ingestion in dogs, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (229)7:1113-1117
# ^ ASPCA article
# ^ Dunayer, E.K (2004) Hypoglycemia following canine ingestion of xylitol-containing gum, Veterinary and Human Toxicology 46(2):87-88
# ^ Dunayer, E.K (2006) New findings on the effects of xylitol ingestion in dogs Veterinary Medicine 101(12):791-797
# ^ [1] Xlear, Inc. Issues Response to JAVMA Report on Dogs and Xylitol

Dogs that have ingested foods containing high levels of xylitol (greater than 100 milligram of xylitol consumed per kilogram of bodyweight) have presented with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can be life-threatening.[29] Low blood sugar can result in a loss of coordination, depression, collapse and seizures in as soon as 30 minutes.[30][31] Intake of very high doses of xylitol (greater than 500 – 1000 mg/kg bwt) has also been implicated in liver failure in dogs, which can be fatal.[32] These are points of controversy, however, as earlier World Health Organization studies using much higher doses on dogs for long periods showed no ill effect.[33]

*********
I have not read the references and make no claims about them - just that there is ongoing research and some controversy as to what level of Xylitol results in canine toxicity.

xylitol by Jim on 02/01/2010 10:52pm

What a poorly researched article. Xylitol is MUCH better for humans than ANY artificial sweetener and even better than cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Dogs can die from eating all sorts of things. Very irresponsible article lacking in critical thinking.