Warning: Protect your pooch from this deadly sweetener
It can happen in an instant.
Your dog fishes a piece of discarded chewing gum out of the garbage — or gobbles a candy you’ve dropped on the floor.
And the next thing you know, he’s fighting for his life.
That’s what happened to a little dog named Doodle in Nevada. And to Luna, a young golden retriever in Wisconsin. And Billy, a Welsh Corgi from California.
They all died after eating an artificial sweetener called xylitol that’s showing up in thousands of products — including some you’d never expect.
It can kill our pets in a matter of minutes. And that’s why you need to know about three steps you can take — starting today — to keep your beloved pooch from becoming the next victim.
Deadlier than chocolateMiles is one lucky little puppy.
When his owner dropped a package of Ice Breakers gum on the ground, the floppy-eared mixed breed did what just about any dog would do.
He ate it.
Fortunately, veterinarians were able to pump Miles’ stomach before the xylitol in the gum could destroy his liver. But plenty of other pups haven’t been so lucky.
By the time Samantha Caress rushed her golden retriever, Luna, to the vet after he got into a container of xylitol chewing gum, his liver was so badly damaged there was nothing that vets could do for him.
Now we’ve known for years that certain foods, like chocolate, can be incredibly toxic to our pets. And any time we have chocolate in the house, I make sure to keep it far away from our dog, Django.
But experts are now waring that xylitol, a low calorie sweetener made from the bark of birch trees, may be far more dangerous than chocolate — and at lower amounts.
Xylitol can put your dog in a coma by causing a dangerous drop in his blood sugar in as little as 10 minutes. And even if that doesn’t kill them, xylitol can attack and shut down your dog’s liver.
And the problem is that we’re starting to see xylitol everywhere.
You’ll find it in chewing gum, sugar-free candies, toothpastes, and even plenty of foods that have been labeled “all natural.” Worse still, there are now a few types of peanut butter with xylitol on the market — and lots of pet owners use peanut butter to get their pooches to take pills.
Now, given how fast xylitol products can kill our beloved pets, you’d think there’d be some warnings on food packages.
Well, good luck with that.
Jeni Reiser, who owns Miles, sent a letter to Hershey’s, the company that makes Ice Breakers gum.
And they gave her a Hershey’s Kiss, all right — as in “kiss off.”
The owner of Doodle, the little dog who died from eating a small amount of discarded gum with xylitol, even started a petition at Change.org asking the FDA to demand such warnings on xylitol products.
But our government can barely lift a finger to protect us — so you can bet they’re not coming to our dogs’ rescue any time soon.
As always, we’re going to have to take matters into our own hands. So here are three simple precautions you can take to keep your pets safe:
- Check the labels on all sugar-free foods in your home — especially gum, candies, and peanut butter — and keep them in cabinets and drawers your dog can’t access.
- If you think your pet has ingested anything containing xylitol, remember that time is of the essence. Bring him to an emergency animal hospital immediately.
- Be alert for signs of xylitol poisoning. They include vomiting and symptoms of low blood sugar, such as weakness, stumbling while walking, and seizures.
While xylitol is equally deadly to cats, the fact that felines aren’t as likely to scavenge for foods has kept the numbers of poisoned kitties low. But you should still be aware of the possibility should your cat become mysteriously sick with similar symptoms.
Sources:
“Veterinarians warn sweetener in some peanut butters a danger for dogs” Andrew J. Polk, September 14, 2015, KVIA, kvia.com
“Dog dies after eating sugar-free gum with xylitol” Atlanta-Journal Constitution, ajc.com
