Any word starting with an ìXî must be pretty special or scary ñ- right? As it turns out, xylitol is a food additive that helps goodies taste sweet, and it has been proven to reduce cavities in humans. Consequently, it is now in many products. You can find it in products like sugar-free gum, children’s vitamins and supplements; and, because it is not a sugar, youíll find it in many sugar-free preparations. It is seen commonly in peanut butter. So far, it has been proven harmless in humans. So, where is the danger? In dogs, xylitol causes a significant outpouring of insulin by the pancreas, which leads to a sudden and dramatic drop in blood sugar or hypoglycemia. This can lead to vomiting, soon followed by staggering, incoordination, collapse and seizures ó and even death. Symptoms can show up soon after ingestion or even up to 12 hours later, making cause sometimes hard to determine.However, not all dogs exposed to xylitol will show such dramatic symptoms. Plus, this is not the biggest problem since hypoglycemia, especially if caught early, is not impossible to treat in normal cases. But, when hypoglycemia is caused by xylitol, it is more difficult to treat because the effects can linger for many hours.The next problem is the more serious liver issue. If the amount of xylitol consumed is high enough, it can cause severe and sudden liver necrosis and failure. In these cases, there is no specific treatment other than supportive care. It is also usually accompanied by internal bleeding and an inability of the blood to clot normally. If a dog ingests a toxic dose, it could be fatal.In a 35-pound dog, the amount of xylitol to cause hypoglycemia is only .04 ounces, (the weight of a business card). The lethal dose is .24 ounces ó about the weight of a nickel. If you have a small dog in the 10-pound weight range, you can divide these numbers by three. That means about two or three little squares of sugar-free gum could be fatal to a small dog.Unfortunately, even with all the government regulation in our lives, there is no federal requirement for listing the amount of xylitol in any product. You simply cannot tell by reading a label if there is enough of this chemical in any product that would kill your pet.The ASPCA Pet Poison Control Hotline reported about 300 inquiries on potential xylitol poisoning in 2009. So far this year, they have had over 10 times that number of calls. This is a lurking and hidden danger; and, in many cases, could cause serious and fatal issues that are not diagnosed.Because humans weigh more than most dogs; and, if it takes three pieces of gum to kill a 10-pound dog, then it would take about 30 to 40 pieces for a comparable dose in humans. Rarely, do people eat that much of a sugar-free product or one that has concentrated amounts of this chemical. It also appears that humans handle this chemical better than dogs. Also be aware that there are several other things known to be serious problems in pets at this time of the year. These include chocolate, which can cause heart issues or seizures. Alcohol found in rum balls, eggnog and fruitcakes can be damaging to a petís liver function, and intoxicated pets can experience seizures and respiratory failure. Fatty foods can cause an acute episode of inflammation of the pancreas, and many of these are fatal. The bones in the Christmas turkey can lodge in the throat and intestines, causing serious infections that require surgery to correct. Even innocent sounding things like grapes, raisins, currents, macadamia nuts, extremely salty foods or foods prepared with a lot of onions and/or garlic are all potentially dangerous as well. Now is the time to just use an extra measure of caution with your pets and prevent a horrible and urgent trip to the animal ER during your holiday celebrations. Dr. Jim Humphries is a veterinarian in Colorado Springs and also serves as a visiting professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University. He provides hospice and end-of-life care for pets. He lives in Falcon with his wife, horses and Great Danes. www.MobilePetDocs.com
