A lot of humans are trying to watch their weight, and that has led to the creation of lot of sugar free foods for people. They make sugarless candies, gums, cookies and all other sorts of foods humans and doggies love to eat! One common sugar substitute is Xylitol. It is just as sweet as sugar, but has much less calories, so it is used in a lot of low calorie and sugar free products humans like to eat. There is a debate as to whether Xylitol is healthy for people, and I’m staying out of that one. But I can tell you for certain Xylitol is very bad for your pet!
If your pup ingests a product with Xylitol, they can show symptoms of toxicity as early as 30 minutes after eating the food or as long as 12 hours after eating. Xylitol causes low blood sugar in dogs because it mimics an insulin-like response but there is no sugar for the insulin to bond with. This low blood sugar level is called hypoglycemia, which can be life-threatening if left untreated. This is not good for doggies and can cause vomiting, depression, weakness and clumsiness. Eating Xylitol also causes an increase in doggy liver enzymes, which can cause liver damage. If a dog consumes large amounts of Xylitol, they may experience life-threatening liver failure.
If you think your dog has consumed a product with Xylitol, it’s best to contact your vet, the emergency vet or call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 as soon as possible to get treatment.
And remember, if you eat these products make sure you do not give them to your pet as a treat. We are just fine with healthy dog biscuits as a treat!
Matthew Scott
Creature Comforts of Charlotte Pet Sitting
http://www.creaturecomfortscharlotte.com