{20Health & Wellness}
Xylitol: More Trick Than Treat We are heading into that time of year when candy, baked goods and all kinds of treats begin to fill our homes and our stomachs. To avoid that winter bulge, many of us are buying sugar substitutes for baking and treats. While a sugar-free treat for you might sound like a healthy thing to do, if it contains Xylitol it could be quite dangerous for your pet. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that is used as a replacement for sugar in such things as candy, toothpaste, breath fresheners and chewing gum. Made from birch trees, it seems to have lots of benefits for humans – sweet taste without all the calories, and no side effects. However, researchers at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center warn that
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Xylitol can have potentially deadly effects for dogs. For some reason, it increases the blood insulin level in canines, which results in a corresponding decrease in blood sugar. Veterinarian Dr. Eric Dunayer with the Animal Poison Control Center says problems can develop within thirty minutes of ingestion of Xylitol, and can include depression, vomiting, loss of coordination and seizures, and possibly even liver failure. So how much Xylitol does it take to make a dog sick? No one is sure exactly what the threshold is, but hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has developed in doses as low as 20mg in a fifty-pound dog. To put that in perspective, one piece of sugar-free gum may contain as much as two grams of xylitol, or one hundred times the amount shown to cause problems in that fifty-pound dog. There is no antidote for Xylitol, but if you know your pet has eaten something containing the sweetner very recently, the best approach is to induce vomiting using a three percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Monitor your dog very closely. If you see any problems, call your veterinarian immediately. Prompt treatment could save your pet’s life. This is a time of year when lots of treats such as candy, mints and chewing gum are in the house. It’s not unusual for dog owners to want to share some treats with their pets. Just be sure to keep those sugar-free candies, gum and baked goods away from your dogs – in fact, any animal. You may think you’re doing your pet a favor by sharing something sweet, but what is relatively healthy and harmless for us could cost your best friend its life. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435 (Animal Poison Control) or call you vet imediately.