Like many folks, you may have also recently received an email about a dachshund named Chloe who got very ill after eating a few sticks of chewing gum. The gum contained Xylitol, a natural sweetener used in sugar-free gum and candy, which caused the dog to become very sick. While the story of this particular dog can’t be validated, the claim that that Xylitol can be toxic to dogs is definitely true. The story itself was likely created to add a human (or canine) element and drive home the message to dog owners.

It’s been known for a few years that Xylitol can be harmful to dogs. An October 2006 American Veterinary Medical Association Press Release confirms that Xylitol can be highly dangerous to dogs and people need to be aware of the the dangers of this sweetener to their canine friends.

Xylitol is a sugar substitute used in candy and chewing gum. It’s an all-natural sweetener derived from beets, birch tree bark, corncobs and other natural sources. It looks and tastes like sugar but with 40% fewer calories so it’s used in many sugar-free and diabetic products. You will likely see Xylitol on the ingredient list in many of your favourite sugar-free snacks such as Jello sugar-free puddings and sugar-free gums and mints including Trident, Orbit, Stride, Icebreakers and Altoids.

Unlike sugar, Xylitol does not require insulin to be metabolized. Because of this, Xylitol is used in many low carb/sugar-free treats, diabetic cookies, as well as pharmaceutical products such as throat lozenges and chewable vitamins. It’s been a popular sugar alternative in Europe for decades but a newcomer to the North American food industry. Xylitol also has bacteria-killing properties so it’s also added to many natural toothpastes such as Tom’s All Natural and Biotene.

While safe for humans, Xylitol can be harmful to dogs. If a dog ingests it, it may cause a rapid increase in insulin. In only a few minutes, there can be a significant drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can cause weakness, lethargy, loss of coordination, collapse or possibly seizures. Symptoms can develop quickly, often within 30 minutes, and an affected dog will need immediate veterinary treatment. Without getting help, a dog can suffer irreversible brain trauma and will likely not survive.

Since the amount of Xylitol used in candy and gum varies considerably by manufacturer, it is difficult to ascertain how much gum can harm or kill a dog. It also depends on the size and weight of a dog. But it is likely that only 3 grams of Xylitol may kill a 65 pound dog. This could be approximately 8-10 sticks of gum, again depending on the manufacturer. For smaller dogs, only one or two sticks of gum can be deadly or cause considerable harm.

At high doses, Xylitol may be toxic to a dog’s liver and can occur within 24 hours of ingesting gum or candy containing Xylitol. Although more research is needed to determine this, studies show that Xylitol may cause or contribute to canine liver failure.

If you think your dog may have eaten gum or sweets that contain Xylitol, contact your vet immediately. It’s likely you will be asked to bring your dog in right away to have vomiting induced and IV fluids started. Your dog’s blood sugar will need to be monitored and he/she will likely need 24-hour hospitalization.

The Email Story (Previously Mentioned)

Last Friday evening, I arrived home from work, fed Chloe, our 24 Lb. dachshund, just as I normally do. Ten minutes later I walked into the den just in time to see her head inside the pocket of Katie’s friend’s purse. She had a guilty look on her face so I looked closer and saw a small package of sugar-free gum. It contained xylitol. I remembered that I had recently read that sugar-free gum can be deadly for dogs so I jumped online and looked to see if xylitol was the ingredient. I found the first website and it was the one. Next, I called our vet and she said to bring her in immediately.

Unfortunately, it was still rush hour and it took me almost 1/2 hour to get there. Meanwhile, since this was her first case, our vet found another website to figure out the treatment. She took Chloe and said they would induce her to vomit, give her a charcoal drink to absorb the toxin (even though they don’t think it works) then they would start an IV with dextrose. The xylitol causes dogs to secrete insulin so their blood sugar drops very quickly. The second thing that happens is liver failure. If that happens, even with aggressive treatment, it can be difficult to save them. She told us she would call us.

Almost two hours later, the vet called and said that contents of her stomach contained 2-3 gum wrappers and that her blood sugar had dropped from 90 to 59 in 30 minutes. She wanted us to take Chloe to another hospital that has a critical care unit operating around the clock. We picked her up and took her there. They had us call the ASPCA poison control for a case number and for a donation, their doctors would direct Chloe’s doctor on treatment. They would continue the IV, monitor her blood every other hour and then in 2 days test her liver function. She ended up with a central line in her jugular vein since the one in her leg collapsed, just as our regular vet had feared.

Chloe spent almost the entire weekend in the critical care hospital. After her blood sugar was stabilized, she came home yesterday. They ran all the tests again before they released her and so far, no sign of liver damage. Had I not seen her head in the purse, she probably would h ave died and we
wouldn’t even had known why.

Three vets told me this weekend, that they were amazed that I even knew about it since they are first learning about it too. Please tell everyone you know about xylitol and dogs. It may save another life.

Written by Dana McQuaid
Happy Doggie Dog Walking & Camp Happy Doggie
Ottawa, CANADA
happydoggie.ca
613-277-9479

References

• Snopes
• American Veterinary Medical Association

Photo Credits

• Bubblegum Machines byScott_1

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