BEWARE XYLITOL is POISON TO DOGS.

Cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs are on the rise. That’s partly due to increased awareness among veterinarians and dog owners, but mostly because it’s being far more widely used in many more food products than ever before.

What is XYLITOL? And why you must avoid your dog from eating it, in any of its many forms!

Definition

XYLITOL It is a ‘sugar substitute’ claimed to be a ‘natural sweetener’ and is in fact, defined as a ‘sugar alcohol’.

The increased popularity in the use of Xylitol is due to many factors.

Xylitol is a natural sweetener and is a “sugar alcohol”, this substance is ok for us humans but don’t let it anywhere near your dog.

Xylitol is a sweetener that not only claims to NOT cause tooth decay, but also claims it can actually prevent it. It’s now widely used in all kinds of dental products. But its main use is in sweetening. It can be found in sugar-free gum, or in ‘breath mints’, toothpaste and mouthwash; even in some veterinary dental products.

Xylitol contains far fewer calories than sugar and doesn’t affect human blood sugar levels at all, so it is a favorite of diabetics and dieters in fact anyone attempting to cut down on his, or her, sugar consumption. This means that Xylitol has an ever increasing market, especially with all the warnings about healthy diet and obesity.

You’ll also find Xylitol in muffin, brownie and cookie mixes and health candy energy bars, Jell-O, pudding and ice cream. It’s also sold in bulk for use in baking and beverages. Indeed just about anything that is sweet could contain Xylitol. So you certainly need to check ALL your food labels.

So remember to look out for Xylitol: Now you know what it is. Even if you probably still find it difficult to pronounce?

So why it is Xylitol so bad for my Dog?

Xylitol is in a growing number of new food products and while it is perfectly safe for humans, even a tiny amount can kill your dog, do not underestimate the poisonous toxicity of this substance to dogs, it is extremely dangerous.

While this sweetener may be safe and beneficial for people, when it comes to dogs they metabolize Xylitol very differently than we do. When even only small amounts are ingested by your dog, it can cause canine blood sugar levels to plummet, to life-threatening lows in only minutes; this can be followed within 12 to 24 hours by liver failure, which is often fatal.

In fact, it’s so deadly that as few as three pieces of sugar free gum with Xylitol-sweetener can kill a 20-pound dog. Imagine how much more devastating this could be to a tiny Chihuahua!

I don’t want to alarm you, but I would be failing in my duty if I did not warn you of the very bad possible effects of this substance. I ‘m certain that you will want to protect your dog’s life, and welfare.

Dogs are sweet lovers and can sniff out food more efficiently than almost any other animal. As dog owners we need to be extremely careful to keep xylitol out of our dogs’ reach. Start by reading the labels on every sweetened product you buy.  If you must buy products containing Xylitol sweetener, make very sure the product is stored well away from your dogs.

Knowledge of the adverse effects of human food products is vital to every dog lover and owner. Only with that knowledge can we protect and safeguard our pets.

Brian Warburton.  www.pinkchihuahua.com