Why would any manufacturer choose Xylitol.

That's a serious question.

The first google result for "why use Xylitol" leads to this site, and this page on the product and dogs:

http://www.xlear.com/xylitol-and-dogs.aspx

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Q - Is Xylitol Safe For Dogs?

A - While the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reported that xylitol may be toxic for dogs, in the cases that have been reported throughout the news, there were a number of factors that may have caused the dogs to be ill. In one case, a pet ate "100 pieces of Dr. Atkins sugar-free gum," which contained xylitol, as well as aspartame.

Another example in the October JAVMA report, which studied eight cases from 2003-2005, referenced a dog that had "eaten four large, chocolate-frosted muffins that contained about one pound of xylitol."

We agree that additional studies need to be conducted on the effects of xylitol and dogs. That said, we are concerned about advocating further studies, as sacrificing the animals following the studies has been the common practice in order to better understand the effects of xylitol on a dog's internal organs. Dog owners know their dogs best, and will know when their pets need care.

We recommend that dog owners pay attention to what their dogs eat. There are a number of products that have been tested and proven to be bad for dogs. We encourage dog owners and health conscious consumers alike to learn more about xylitol at Xlear.com. Xlear does not make products for dogs, nor do we recommend dog owners give their dogs xylitol or any other food designated for human consumption.

Another good reason to keep your pets locked up on Halloween is if they don't like kids. Two out of my three dogs get very nervous around children and they are so cute that all kids want to play with them( I know I am a biased mommy). The unfair thing? In my area parents are taking their kids trick or treating Saturday night AND Sunday night so my poor babies have to be put away for two nights in a row. :~(

Mmm, peanut butter cups!
I'm a pet sitter and last halloween a client left her 3 dogs for me, as usual, and had stashed all the candy in a closet. Apparently the door didn't latch and I came in to 3 guilty faces and one large empty bag of peanut butter cups. No wrappers, no crumbs.

Called the client, she came home and rushed all 3 dogs to the vet. They were all set to induce vomiting on all the dogs but we gambled on the piggiest of the dogs and won. Drops in the eyes, vomiting commenced, and up came an entire bag of peanut butter cups, most still in their wrappers! This dog was very uncomfortable for the rest of the weekend, but recovered well.

I started giving my Children Holloween Parties at Home, 40 years ago it was unsafe....The last year , they went door-to-door A 3 year old was givin LSD. so Please Be careful for your Loves.

I know there is lot of you, that know a true stories too, maybe we can can save a Child or a pet from harm. By speaking-up. Be Safe, it is better than sorry

Thats an old study. Newer research has determined that xylitol is way more toxic than that. Much more than we previously assumed. And xylitol is now being included in many more products than ever before. It was the ASPCA Poisin Control's retrospective study from 2009 that I'm thinking of. I'll try to dig it up when I have time later.

Here's the link for the recent thinking on Xylitol as of April 2010:

http://www.aspca.org/pressroom/press-releases/042710.html

Sorry to be so slow to notice this but...

The reference you cite is written by an industry trade group that sells xylitol. Their goal is to downplay the effects of xylitol on dogs.

They cite a 2006 JAVMA paper (which I just read) that has 6 of the 8 dogs dying after ingesting xylitol and yet they choose to highlight the fact that the dogs had to eat a pound of xylitol or 100 pieces of gum before they got sick. Yet we're talking about four muffins and five or six cookies that killed these dogs. How many would yours eat if given half a chance to chow down on something sweet?

(btw, I doubt the JAVMA author's math and have sent him an email asking how 1 pound of anything could be in 4 muffins.)

Moreover, continuing to cite only a small study including 8 dogs (when thousands have by now been reported to the ASPCA's Poison Control) is disingenuous at best. Urging that no more studies be conducted as they require dogs be "sacrificed" is a full-fledged lie.

And this?

"Dog owners know their dogs best, and will know when their pets need care."

Yeah right ... when he starts having seizures, ends up in liver failure and ekes out only a 25% chance of surviving his indulgence because his owner was told that xylitol's toxicity was a myth perpetuated by the radical animal rights people. (That last stat according to the study they cite ... because two can play the info fiddling game).

Can't stand those creeps. Can you tell?

Yes Dr Khuly I noticed that, it is so perverse, reminds me of the tobacco companies. Now people mock anyone who believed them, but I still blame the tobacco companies and their fake experts.

I truly do not understand why the makes of Tic Tac would expose their customers to this deadly ingredient.

Thank you for reviewing that site. I wish action could be taken against them.

"Dog owners know their dogs best, and will know when their pets need care."

Yes, that line amazes me too.

Translation:

"It is the responsiblity of every dog owner to know that every manufacturer is lying about their ingredients and every pet owners should conduct their own trials."

Thank you for being honest!

Another hazard found especially at Halloween is the tricks and treat bags and their handles. Kitties love to stick their heads in the bags, but I've seen two of them get caught in the handles. They go crazy then trying to get out of it and fortunately I was home both times. We cut all the handles on all bags that enter our house just to be on the safe side.

What is your take on this? http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/merck-homeagain-pet-microchip-lawsuit.html Just another thing I am now worried about as I just had Cooper micro-chipped about a month ago.

That I know of there are only two confirmed cases in dogs and one in a cat in which the microchip actually caused a sarcoma (a very nasty, locally invasive cancer that requires aggressive treatment). I have lots bigger problems with microchips when it comes to the politics of universality and their ability to do what they're supposed to do. Despite these issues, my pets are all microchipped.

Btw, remember to register your microchip!

I had Cooper microchipped through Banfield and their system registers Cooper automatically with the info they have on file. Any time I move or get a new phone number and I update Banfield, they will automatically update the chip. But you reminded me that I need to call the number and make sure everything they have is correct. Thanks! And thanks for the response.