Xylitol is bad for dogs. Mom found this on the Internet. She says you need to go read the entire article, but here are the main points.
Xylitol is sugar-free, and reduces caloric intake for humans, but it’s toxic to dogs. It’s found in many household products including the following:
- Diabetic snacks (e.g., gums)
- Diabetic foods
- Baked goods
- Toothpastes (in large amounts!)
- Chewable sugar-free multivitamins
- Chewable sugar-free prenatal medications
- Nasal sprays
- Some peanut butters
- Medications (including oral pills over-the-counter like melatonin or prescription medications like gabapentin)
While it’s completely safe for humans, it results in a severe insulin release when ingested by non-primate species (e.g., dogs!). Acute poisoning will occur in dogs, resulting in two main syndromes: hypoglycemia (i.e., a life-threateningly low blood sugar) and acute hepatic necrosis (i.e., severe liver failure).
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include the following:
- Weakness or lethargy
- Walking drunk
- Acute collapse
- Trembling or tremoring
- A racing heart rate
- Jaundiced gums
- Black-tarry stool
- Abnormal mentation
- Clotting problems
The general rule is that if xylitol is listed in the first 3-5 ingredients (typically in order of the amount that they appear in the food or product), it is going to be poisonous!*
*If your dog does get into something sugar-free, always check the ingredient list. Note that other sound-a-likes like sorbitol, maltitol, and erythritol are not poisonous to dogs. Likewise, other sugar-free products such as stevia, saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, etc. are also not poisonous to dogs. If your dog gets into one of these other sound-a-likes, it’s not poisonous. No need to worry, as long as you’re positive there’s no xylitol!
I'm glad Mom's doing her best to stay informed and keep me safe. I want to be with her for a long time!