FDA issues lame warning about danger of sweetener xylitol to dogs

This common ingredient in sugar-free foods can be deadly to dogs

Murphy Jo, a labradoodle, did what most dogs will do.

She found a package of gum on the kitchen counter, knocked it off and ate some.

But what should have been just another case of a doggie dietary adventure almost turned deadly.

The gum she ate contained xylitol, a sweetener added to scores of sugar-free gum, candy and other foods that I’ve been warning you about for some time now.

Since it hit the market, xylitol has been harming — and even killing — dogs. The FDA is finally admitting there’s a problem, but they’re not doing anything to stop it.

That means it’s become doubly urgent that you know exactly what to look for where this sweetener is concerned.

Your best friend’s life could depend on it.

Sweet and deadly

Murphy Jo’s family was told to expect the worst. But because they got her to the vet quickly, the pup managed to pull through.

Many others, however, haven’t been so lucky. And now, cases of xylitol poisoning are off the charts.

Dr. Ahna Brutlag, a veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline, said last year alone they received almost 3,000 calls from frantic pet owners about xylitol. And the number has jumped another 15 percent so far this year.

The ASPCA’s poison center got close to 4,000 calls last year. And 11 of those dogs died.

Dr. Brutlag says it’s “the most dangerous” food-related poison they deal with. And lots of dog owners don’t know that “something this benign, an ordinary sweetener” can kill their pup.

Xylitol can cause a deadly drop in your dog’s blood sugar in a matter of minutes, resulting in liver failure. If you don’t notice the symptoms fast enough, or your dog is home alone, things can quickly reach the point of no return.

And because xylitol is in so many products, people have been begging the FDA for ages to do something about it. But what the agency finally came up with is almost next to nothing.

Last week it issued a “consumer update” saying it had received several reports over the years about dogs being poisoned by xylitol, and that we need to keep products containing the sweetener out of our pup’s paws.

Seriously?

Experts had been hoping that the FDA would require food and drug manufacturers to disclose the amount of xylitol used in products, and even mandate that a symbol or warning be placed on packages.

Well, good luck with that idea.

Since that’s probably the last we’ll hear from the FDA about this for the next decade or so, here are three things we need to do right now to keep our pups safe.

Check the labels of all sugar-free foods you bring into your home — especially “people food” treats you give your dog, such as peanut butter.
If you think your dog may have eaten anything containing xylitol, you need to get him to a vet hospital immediately. We keep the number handy of emergency clinics in case our border collie Django needs to see a vet on weekends or off hours.
Know the signs of xylitol poisoning, which include vomiting and symptoms of low blood sugar, such as weakness, stumbling while walking, and seizures.

And some products, like certain Ice Breakers gum flavors, can contain giant amounts of the sweetener.

Xylitol is also deadly for cats to ingest, but their pickier eating habits usually keep them fairly safe. Still, if your cat comes down with a mystery illness showing any of the above symptoms, you shouldn’t waste any time in getting her to the vet.

Sources:
“FDA warns sweetener xylitol can kill or poison dogs” Mark Maremont, May 12, 2016, The Wall Street Journal, wsj.com