Xylitol Food Additive Harmful to Household Pets

Image of chewing gum.

People love sweets and so do many dogs. In fact, some dogs love their family's sweet treats and sneak bites of it when the humans aren't looking. You or your children probably also share goodies with your family pet. Many sweets are made with the substance called xylitol.

Xylitol is used to manufacture many sweet tasting products including: chocolates, cookies, cakes, ice creams, other baked goods and hard candies. You'll find it in toothpaste and hygiene products, some vitamins, gums and mints. In fact, xylitol has been included in products that are sweet in nature and may be labeled as sugar-free.

You may be aware that xylitol is available for bulk purchases and large quantities may be regularly maintained in your household for your family's baking and food preparation needs.

Why? Xylitol is a sugar alcohol being used as a sweetener. Xylitol is often used in products for ingestion by diabetic individuals and it has less calories than regular sugar. The xylitol makes the product taste sweet and doesn't have the same effect on blood sugar that sugar products have.

Eric K. Dunayer indicates in New Findings on the Effects of Xylitol Ingestion in Dogs, that even though xylitol is safe for people, the lives of dogs can be threatened by ingesting it. Just two or three sticks of xylitol gum could be toxic to a 20-pound dog.

Dogs can experience liver failure due to xylitol toxicity. The substance can create changes in their blood sugar, impair it to create hypoglycemia and derail their liver so that it will not filter properly. The liver is the primary organ that controls detoxification and supports proper blood clotting throughout the body.

The United States Food and Drug Administration warned pet owners that xylitol toxicity can be harmful to their dogs. The FDA also issued this warning about ferrets. Because of the known tendency of xylitol to be toxic to dogs it is critical to keep all products containing the substance out of their reach. The consequences of ingesting xylitol can be catastrophic. If you think your dog has ingested xylitol immediately contact your veterinarian, local poison control center or the pet poison hotline at 800-213-6680.

Location

Find us on the map

Working Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Tuesday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Wednesday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Thursday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Friday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Saturday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

Sunday:

10:00 am-10:00 pm

THE WORD OF MOUTH

What our patient say

  • "My dog Buster was in pain and wasn’t acting like himself. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Gill ASAP. He did a remarkable job during the initial exam to diagnose the problem and recommend additional treatments/services to relieve the pain Buster was in. After doing X-rays and blood work it was determined my little guy was suffering from intervertebral disc disease."
    Jotika
  • "This place was awesome. They took such good care of my giant Rottweiler during an emergency. They even called the next day to check up on her. The price was reasonable too. Went back again and the treatment was great yet again. Love that they stay open late and open everyday. So convenient. Thanks guys for treating my girl as is she was family!"
    Mea
  • "I’m planning to travel with my baby cat. In order to do that she has to do a Rabies Neutralization Antibody Testing from certified lab. I was lucky to reach out Dr. Gill. He explained to me throughly and helped me to get it done. I would recommend Dr. Gill to everyone who needs professional and friendly help on their loved pets."
    Hsinti
  • "I’m very happy with the service and prices of the Silicon Valley Pet Clinic. I have gotten quotes from other vets around and SVPC offers the best value! I took my dog in to get some growths removed and get this teeth cleaned."
    Katie
  • "My 16 yr old cat Pete had some green discharge coming from his eye. I recently brought a feral kitten in to care for that my cousin found. I figured that Pete probably got scratched in the eye from the little guy."
    Jeanna
  • "I was very nervous to have her spayed, especially after going through an episode of Giardia. She has been dealing with poop that is not consistent and we are doing some probiotic treatment."
    Connie