Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol found in plants that is commonly used as an artificial sweetener in many products, such as sugar-free gum, candy, and baked goods. It is also used in some medical and dental care products.
In addition, xylitol is used in drinking water additives for pets to help maintain dental health. However, xylitol can be toxic to dogs, as it can stimulate the release of insulin, leading to a rapid and potentially dangerous drop in blood sugar levels.
Even relatively small amounts of xylitol, as low as 0.03 g/kg, can cause hypoglycemia in dogs. Ingestion of xylitol has also been linked to liver failure in dogs, although the exact mechanisms behind this are not yet clear.
Symptoms of xylitol toxicity in dogs may include vomiting, lethargy, ataxia, collapse, seizures, and other signs related to hypoglycemia or liver damage.
If a dog ingests xylitol, it is important to seek veterinary care as soon as possible. Treatment may include supportive care and monitoring, as well as the administration of intravenous dextrose to address hypoglycemia. It is important for veterinarians to consider xylitol toxicity as a possible diagnosis in cases of unexplained hypoglycemic presentations, with or without accompanying liver dysfunction.
Example
The Manchester World online newspaper reports: “Dog almost dies eating chewing gum sneezed out by her teenage owner – vets issue warning”.
The story is a timely warning before Christmas Day to keep that xylitol chewing gum out of the way of your dog. The family of the dog concerned went through a nightmare after they had to rush their puppy to their veterinarian.
Their puppy, Rosie, a cross between a Cocker and a Springer Spaniel, was taken to a veterinarian on Christmas eve after a bizarre convergence of circumstance.
Rosie’s owner, Cheryl Malone, was doing her last-minute shopping. Her son, Declan, 14 was taking Rosie for a walk at that time in playing fields near their home.
He was chewing on extra-white bubble mint gum containing the sugar substitute xylitol. He sneezed and it flew out of his mouth and within seconds Rosie went for it and ate it as if it was a tasty morsel.
Declan’s sister, Leone, was with him and they tried to remove the gum from Rosie’s mouth without success. Rosie swallowed it.
Searching on Google they found that it was toxic. They called their mother who then called their veterinarian. They raced to the animal hospital, Vets Now, and attended their emergency 24-hour service in Manchester.
The vets kept her in and after about an hour they got a call that she was okay. The veterinarians said:
“Because they got Rosie to us so quickly, we were able to swiftly administer medicine to induce sickness and help clear out her tummy. Then we kept her under close observation during the night to make sure there were no signs at all of toxicity. This really was such an unusual set of circumstances – who ever would have thought a human sneeze could lead to a pet emergency?”
