I am on a number of dog groups on Facebook. Normally, those groups are full of fun photos of dogs or people asking for advice about a product or food. But more recently, there has been an increase in questions and warnings about the artificial sugar Xylitol. One of the warnings is that many health food providers are now calling it Birch Sugar instead of listing Xylitol as the ingredient.
So please be aware…. Birch Sugar is Xylitol. And Xylitol is deadly for dogs. It’s safe for humans, but in dogs, it causes a fast insulin release and may be fatal before you figure out there is an emergency problem.
We all know it’s the main sweetening ingredient in sugar free gum. But it’s popping up more in peanut butter, chocolate and candy, dental products like toothpaste and mouthwash, meal replacement shakes, powdered drinks like Crystal Light, jello, skinny ice cream, yogurt and condiments. So before you share, check the ingredients. And make sure if your dog accidentally gets into a dental product, you check the ingredients immediately.
What do you do if your dog ingests Xylitol? Call your vet or the animal poison control hotline immediately. The faster you act, the better chance you have of saving your dog’s life. Symptoms can appear anywhere from 10 minutes to 24 hours after ingestion. A friend who didn’t know the dangers of Xylitol didn’t see symptoms from an evening gum incident and thought everything was ok. They woke up to a very sick dog that tragically did not make it. Speedy reaction is so important in a Xylitol ingestion.
Symptoms including vomiting, lethargy, confusion, weakness, unconsciousness and seizures.
So make sure everyone in your family knows the dangers of Xylitol and that Birch Sugar is another name for Xylitol. Kids love gum, but keeping oit ut of reach of the dog is critical. Be careful when buying peanut butter and yogurt, they are two items people love to share with dogs and can be a huge mistake if you don’t pay attention to the ingredients. Same with some ice cream. Before you let them lick the bowl, know what sugar the product uses.
I feel like I am constantly on guard with my younger dog Bailey. He’s a chewer and gets great delight in running off with my things. So, I’ve just made it a habit not to buy anything containing Xylitol. I can’t seem to keep my shoes safe, I could never trust myself to keep all gum away from him. Removing all temptation from him is my best plan.
If you’d like to read more, check out the article below.
