Posted by RALPH C on 6/8/2008, 10:58 am
Subject: information: Xylitol is poison to dogs
At our club's request our local supermarket, Wegmans, has issued
consumer news in their stores that xylitol, a sweetener found in gum,
candy, mouthwash, toothpaste, pancake syrup and many sugar free foods is
poison to dogs. As little as 2 sticks of gum can cause serious problems
to a 20 pound dog. In dogs, xylitol causes rapid release of insulin
which then severely lowers blood sugar levels. It can result in seizures
in as little as 30 minutes.
Once thought to cause only hypoglycemia in dogs, this sugar substitute
has recently been discovered to also produce acute, possibly
life-threatening liver disease and coagulopathy. And the number of
reported exposures to xylitol has been increasing. It's probably due to
the increase usage of xylitol.
I did some internet searching and found that it has been out since the
1960's. Until someone in my club brought it up, I had no idea what it
was. I am now looking at food labels and nothing with xylitol will be in
my home. I am just really at a loss to understand why the FDA allowed
the use of a substance that is so toxic to dogs to be in our foods.
It's touted as good for dental health, but I have not seen any warnings
that it is toxic to dogs on food labeling. I do think as a minimum the
food labeling should state that it is poisonous to dogs.
Linda Witkowski
Lindaww1@verizon.net
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