Xylitol Toxicity in Dogs
For some folks, the start of a new year is a catalyst to lose weight and this may mean switching from plain old sugar to lower calorie sweeteners. Xylitol is one such sugar substitute that is safe for human consumption, but is toxic for dogs. In fact, it can be deadly.
What exactly is xylitol?
Discovered by German chemist Emil Fisher in 1891, xylitol is found in fruit and vegetable fibers. The xylitol we consume is manufactured by beginning with a product called xylan found in hardwood trees and corncobs.
Xylitol was first put to use as a sweetener in Finland during World War II when sucrose was unavailable. The growth in xylitol popularity is attributed to its many beneficial properties. To begin with, xylitol is as sweet as sucrose, but with far fewer calories. Additionally, compared to sugar, it causes very little insulin release in people and insulin is not required for it to be put to use as an energy source for the body. Lastly, xylitol has been shown to prevent mouth bacteria from producing acids that damage the surfaces of the teeth. For this reason, xylitol is commonly included in toothpastes, sugar-free gum, and other oral care products.
Species- specific effects
The effect of xylitol on insulin release varies dramatically between species. In people, rats, horses, and rhesus monkeys, xylitol causes little to no increase in insulin release or change in blood sugar levels. This is altogether different in dogs, cows, goats, rabbits, and baboons. In these species xylitol causes a marked increase in insulin release and drop in blood sugar and is the basis for xylitol toxicity.
Toxicity in dogs
After a dog consumes a significant amount of xylitol, there is a massive release of insulin from the pancreas. This, in turn, results in a dangerously low blood sugar level and symptoms such as weakness, trembling, seizures, collapse, and even death.
At higher dosages, xylitol can cause massive liver destruction (known as necrosis) in which large numbers of livers cells die abruptly. This produces an acute health crisis and, in many cases, death.
Vomiting is often the first symptom of xylitol toxicity. Other symptoms related to the low blood sugar level develop within 30 minutes to 12 hours following consumption. When xylitol-induced liver damage occurs, blood liver enzyme values typically begin increasing within 12 to 24 hours.
The dose of xylitol considered to be toxic for dogs is 0.1 gram or more of xylitol per kg of the dog’s body weight.
Treatment of xylitol toxicity
Emergency treatment is warranted after a dog consumes xylitol. If vomiting can be successfully induced within the first 30 minutes or so (before the xylitol leaves the stomach), the problem may be solved. Once xylitol leaves the stomach and triggers the pancreas to produce insulin, intensive treatment is warranted in order to try to counteract the effects of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and liver damage. Treatment includes hospitalization with round-the-clock care, blood monitoring, and administration of intravenous glucose and liver-protective agents. In some cases, blood transfusions are needed to counteract the effects of blood clotting abnormalities caused by liver failure.
The prognosis for xylitol toxicity varies and depends on how promptly the dog receives treatment as well as the amount of xylitol that was consumed.
Read labels carefully
Many foods and dental products contain xylitol. It is found in chewing gum, candy, peanut butter, cereals, and toothpaste, to name a few. Believe it or not, some products advertised specifically for dogs, such as toothpaste, contain small amounts of xylitol! What are these manufacturers thinking?!
Not all product labels clearly state if they contain xylitol. If a label states only, “artificially sweetened,” presume that it contains xylitol. If you opt to use xylitol-containing products in your household, be sure to keep them completely out of your clever dog’s reach.
What to do if your dog eats xylitol
If you believe that your dog has just eaten (as in you just watched it happen) something containing xylitol, contact a veterinary hospital staff member right away. You might be advised to induce your dog to vomit at home. This is accomplished by forcing your dog to swallow hydrogen peroxide.
If you’re not really sure when the xylitol was consumed (you’ve just returned home from work and the remains of sugar-free gum wrappers are decorating the couch), transport your dog to a nearby veterinary clinic or 24-hour emergency hospital right away. Be sure to take the label of the consumed product with you. Time is always of the essence when treating xylitol toxicity.
Look around your house and see if you have any xylitol-containing products. What did you find?
Happy new year,
Nancy Kay, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Author of Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet
Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award
Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog
Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award
Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award
Become a Fan of Speaking for Spot on Facebook
Please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com to read excerpts from Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health. There you will also find “Advocacy Aids”- helpful health forms you can download and use for your own dog, and a collection of published articles on advocating for your pet’s health. Speaking for Spot and Your Dog’s Best Health are available at http://www.speakingforspot.com, Amazon.com, local bookstores, and your favorite online book seller.
A friend’s dog nosed into her teenager’s friend’s purse when no one was paying attention. She found and ate some gum with xylitol. A thousand dollars later, the dog survived. It’s not enough to read labels of items you buy; you must be vigilant about visitors and what they may bring…
Over the holidays our Shiba Inu ripped open a present while we weren’t home and consumed chocolate. We came home to wrapping paper and cardboard and what was left of a box of milk chocolate candies.
She was obviously in distress. She was running through the house crying. I quickly called the ASPCA Poison Control hotline. I got a recording telling me to hold on and also informing me there would be a charge of $65.00. I held on for what seemed like forever while my Shiba was still crying with a belly ache. I hung up and call the ER at the University of Penn who promptly told me to call the hotline, they couldn’t help me. I explained to them that they were not picking up. I hung up there and called North Stars ER, who told me once again to call the hotline. I hung up there and called Redbank ER and she said hold on for a tech!
The tech was very helpful. She stayed on the line with me while my Shiba was finally puking and told me what the nearest ER was. She told me to take some of the vomit with me and the rest of the box of chocolates. I gathered my girl in the car with vomit and chocolates in hand and headed for the nearest ER. The vet there took her vitals and analysed the chocolate and how much she consumed. We ended up getting a shot of cerenia for nausea and thankfully she was okay.
My point to telling this story is I had full intentions of taking her to the ER irregardless to what I would have learned from the hotline. I called the hotline because I needed to know if I should induce vomiting and how to do it. Fortunately my girl did it on her own. I spent $200 at the ER. The $65.00 would have been of little concern to me. I just needed to know what to do in case she didn’t vomit. I got the feeling the first two places I called thought I didn’t want to pay the $65. It was a very frustrating experience but thankfully everything came out well.