Xylitol
Poisoning In Dogs!
by Susan Thorpe-Vargas Ph.D
The Animal Poison Control Center has reported
a substantial increase in the number of cases of Xylitol poisoning.
Xylitol is a sweetener that is found in sugar-free gum, candy, baked
goods, desserts, toothpaste, and other oral-care products. It can also
be purchased as granulated powder for cooking and baking.
It can cause serious and sometimes
life-threatening problems in dogs. In the October 1, 2006, issue of the
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 8 adult dogs
were evaluated for
lethargy and vomiting after ingestion of Xylitol. Five of
the 8 were either euthanized or died.
The Animal Poison Control Center managed more
than 170 cases of Xylitol poisonings in 2005, up from approximately 70
in 2004. As of August, 2006, the poison control center had managed 114
cases in 2006. That may be due to the increased availability of Xylitol
containing products or the increased awareness by the public and
veterinarians.
While it was previously thought that only
large concentrations of Xylitol could cause problems in dogs, lesser
amounts of the sweetener may also be harmful.
"Our concern used to be mainly with
products that contain xylitol as one of the first ingredients," said
Dr. Eric Dunayer, who specializes in toxicology at the center. "However
we have begun to see problems developing from ingestions of products
with lesser amounts of this sweetener." He said that with smaller
concentrations of Xylitol, the onset of clinical signs could be delayed
as much as 12 hours after ingestion.
Dogs that ingest substantial amounts of items
sweetened with Xylitol can develop a sudden drop in blood sugar
resulting in depression, loss of coordination, and seizures.
These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes
after ingestion of the product. Therefore, it is crucial that pet owners
seek veterinary treatment immediately after ingestion or suspected
ingestion of products containing Xylitol.
The poison control center also reported that
there appears to be strong link between Xylitol ingestions and the
development of liver failure in dogs.
credit to: Dr. Vern Otte, DVM, State Line Animal Hospital, Leawood, KS
and the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, October 2006.
Dr. Susan Thorpe-Vargas
Docvite@aol.com
has a Ph.D. in Immunology and wrote for DOG World
magazine for almost 20 years. She is a multiple Maxwell Award nominee and has
won twice. In addition, she has won the Eukanuba Health Award two times. Her
work has been translated into many different languages. She has bred and shown
Samoyed for 22 years and shares her home with two Sammies, Max and Chloe and
Sidney-the rescue Siamese.
A
Special Thank you to Dr. Susan Thorpe-Vargas
Docvite@aol.com
for this information!
| 
