A Few Words of Wisdom From

Dr. Feinberg Regarding Xylitol;

As a veterinarian, I frequently get asked if it is a problem to feed dogs table scraps. I have always answered the question that as long as the foods were bland, not in large quantities and were not what the people refused to eat for their own health concerns (e.g. fat trimmed from cooked meat), then generally it was fine to do it occasionally making sure that the dog did not consider it as a reward for the act of begging at the dinner table!   However, recent findings on the effects of the natural sweetener, xylitol, have made me more cautious about my statement.

Xylitol is a natural sweetener popular in Europe and Japan and more recently, in the United States. It is present in many products including sugar-free gum, mints, chewable vitamins, toothpastes and mouthwashes. Since it can also be purchased in granulated form much like sugar, it is also used in baked goods and as a sweetener to add onto cereals and sprinkled into beverages. While xylitol consumption is considered safe in people, dogs can develop serious, even life-threatening signs. Xylitol in low doses can cause vomiting and profound hypoglycemia which can lead to weakness, collapse and seizure. A recent study of eight dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center showed that higher doses can cause liver cell death, liver failure and internal bleeding. Some examples of what the dogs consumed were 5-6 cookies or 8 muffins or 12 cupcakes or 30 pieces of gum all which contained xylitol as an ingredient. Other natural sweeteners (e.g. sorbitol and mannitol) are considered safe although over-ingestion can result in diarrhea. Artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame and sucralose) are also generally regarded as safe if ingested by dogs.
So, how much xylitol can cause a problem? Based upon current information with gum where xylitol is listed as the first ingredient, as little as 1/2 piece of gum per 10 pounds of body weight may cause low dose toxicity and at least 2 and 1/2 pieces per 10 pounds for high dose toxicity.
For powdered xylitol for home-baked goods, it only takes 1/10th of a teaspoonful per 10 pounds body weight to cause low dose signs and at least 1/2 of a teaspoonful per 10 pounds to cause high dose signs. Since some dogs are known to eat entire plates of cookies or whole packages of muffins, I think we all need to be careful when bringing xylitol containing products into our homes when we have dogs with known high risk eating behaviors.

As far as feeding our dogs table food, all I can say is always be careful as what we used to think was "just fine" today, may be harmful tomorrow!

Found on the internet while doing some research, chew bones made specifically for dogs were advertized as having "Xylitol to control tartar, clean teeth",  so be careful when chosing items for your pets.  Read the ingredients, and if you are unsure, you can always call us with questions regarding product safety.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cases of Xylitol Poisoning on the Rise in Dogs

Urbana, Ill., August 21, 2006—The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center cautions animal owners that xylitol, a sweetener found in certain sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and other products can potentially cause serious and even life-threatening problems for pets.

Xylitol is found in toothpaste, chewable vitamins, and several sugar-free baked goods marketed to diabetics. Although it seems to be safe for adults to consume, Xylitol stimulates two and a half times the insulin release compared with glucose in dogs.

“Last year, we managed more than 170 cases involving xylitol-containing products,” says Dana Farbman, CVT and spokesperson for the Center. “This is a significant increase from 2004, when we managed about 70.” Barely halfway into 2006, the Center has already managed about 114 cases. Why the increase? “It’s difficult to say,” Farbman states. “Xylitol products are relatively new to the United States marketplace, so one possibility may be an increase in availability.”

According to Dr. Eric Dunayer, veterinarian and toxicologist for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, dogs ingesting significant amounts of items sweetened with xylitol could develop a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination, liver failure and seizures. “These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product. Therefore, it is crucial that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately.” 

ASPCA professionals say that if dogs are treated early with induced vomiting and intravenous dextrose the prognosis is good but that dogs that ingest 0.5 grams per kilogram of weight can develop liver failure and may not recover.
While it was previously thought that only large concentrations of xylitol could result in problems, this appears to no longer be the case. “We seem to be learning new information with each subsequent case we manage,” says Dr. Dunayer. “Our concern used to be mainly with products that contain xylitol as one of the first ingredients. However, we have begun to see problems developing from ingestions of products with lesser amounts of this sweetener.” He also says that with smaller concentrations of xylitol, the onset of clinical signs could be delayed as much as 12 hours after ingestion. “Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that even if your pet does not develop signs right away, it does not mean that problems won’t develop later on.”

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center strongly urges pet owners to be especially diligent in keeping candy, gum or other foods containing xylitol out of the reach of pets. As with any potentially toxic substance, should accidental exposures occur, it is important to contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for immediate assistance. 
We encourage all pet owners to check product labels for Xylitol and keep them away from pets.