Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs – Please read all labels!

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is used as a sweetener in the place of sugar.  Its use has been on the rise and I first heard about it in sugar free gum.  More recently it can be found in candy, some toothpastes, mints, sugar free granola bars, pudding, multivitamins, probiotics, chocolates, protein shakes, some liquid medications and even some peanut butters.   Many of these products such as the peanut butter are often marketed at health food stores.  Xylitol can also be purchased in a granulated form for baking. 
People will often use over the counter medications for their animals or use peanut butter to disguise medication given to their dogs.  If these products happen to contain xylitol it can have serious and even life threatening effects.

Xylitol can cause severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and/or liver failure in dogs.  Cows, goats and rabbits can be affected as well.  For some other species such as cats and birds the effects are not clear yet.  Low blood sugar can lead to weakness, seizures and potentially death.  The liver is involved in many different functions.  With liver failure we can see seizures, low protein levels, internal bleeding and death.  Not all dogs will show both signs.  The signs of hypoglycaemia are usually noted within 30 minutes of ingestion,  but can take up to 12 hours to be seen.   The signs of liver failure are often noted within 12-24 hours but can take longer.

It can be difficult to determine how much xylitol is in a product to calculate your toxic dose.  For instance, one piece of sugar free xylitol containing gum can cause low blood sugar in a 10kg dog. However not all brands of gum contain the same amount of xylitol and the amount is not usually on the label of the gum.  Larger doses need to be consumed for liver failure to occur generally.  Dogs that develop liver failure often don’t survive. 

There is no antidote for xylitol.  Early recognition is important for an optimal outcome. If you have the package of the product please always take this to your veterinary clinic with you.  Your veterinarian may get your dog to vomit if the product was ingested recently enough. Blood sugar levels and liver enzymes will need to be monitored closely.  Often an intravenous sugar drip is started and these animals are hospitalized for a number of days. 


It is important to read labels on any human product that you happen to give your dog.  Even better avoid human products in dogs if possible or contact your veterinarian prior to giving anything to your pets that is not labelled for them.  Remember dogs and cats are not small humans and their bodies metabolize things differently than us.  If you have any questions about toxins or products please talk to your veterinarian. 

Dr. Brigitte Rudolf
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic