March 2014

From a student in Dr. Jeff’s classes for veterinary assistants (http://www.veterinaryassistantlearningcenter.com/)

I saw that you included xylitol in the list of poison, and that 2 sticks can kill a Doberman. I know all too well about this and do everything I can to get the word out about it. In 2009 my son unknowingly dropped a package of ice breakers gum on the floor when he was leaving for work. When he returned that night, he found two of his dogs (a 25 lb. sheltie mix and a 60 lb. pointer) dead, the only clue as to what happened being the empty wrapper from the ice breakers gum. Since then I have been an advocate to get the word out on this and a local tv station was even kind enough to broadcast our story to help others know the dangers of this.

You may not even be aware you are giving your dog a poison when you offer him a piece of sugar-free gum. The problem is the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is found in a number of chewing gum products as well as candy, breath fresheners and toothpastes. Though safe for people, it takes just one or two pieces of xylitol-sweetened gum to poison a 20 pound dog.

Xylitol is used in place of sugar because it tastes as sweet as sucrose, but unlike the natural product, it stimulates only minute increases in blood glucose (sugar). It has a minimal effect on insulin levels in humans so it is popular among diabetics. People on low-carbohydrate diets also use this sugar substitute.

Unfortunately, dogs react much differently to xylitol. Just a tiny amount of this sugar substitute can trigger a massive insulin release from the pancreas gland. When insulin rises, the amount of glucose in the bloodstream falls. A severe drop in blood glucose (hypoglycemia) will cause a dog to become ataxic (walk unsteadily), weak, depressed, as well as triggering seizure activity. Xylitol has another negative effect in dogs – it can induce liver failure.

Because symptoms of xylitol toxicity can develop within 30 minutes of consumption, early diagnosis and intervention is critical. If your dog eats a xylitol-containing product, you should induce vomiting immediately. Give one teaspoon of three percent hydrogen peroxide by mouth for each 10 pounds body weight. If this fails to make your dog vomit, repeat the dose five minutes later.

To counteract the blood glucose drop induced by xylitol, boost your dog’s blood sugar by feeding him small, frequent meals over the next 8 to 12 hours. If his blood sugar levels drop to the point where symptoms of hypoglycemia develop, he needs more aggressive therapy at your veterinary hospital.

Your veterinarian will start by monitoring your dog’s blood glucose level. If it drops too low, she will give him intravenous glucose. Intravenous administration is more effective at increasing blood glucose than oral sugar products.

Because xylitol is becoming more popular as a sweetener, the number of dogs exposed to this substance continues to rise. Make sure you recognize and prevent exposure to this hazard. Be aware of what products contain xylitol and keep them out of your dog’s reach.