Xylitol - Page 1

I don't know if you read my recent breed notes in Dog World regarding Xylitol but I have found out that it is in some brands of dog toothpaste as well as human toothpaste. Xylitol is highly dangerous to dogs, so please check anything that you give them to ensure this product is not in it. I hreceived the following from the BVA.

Certainly there have been some reports recently of Xylitol toxicity in dogs (see attached letter published in the Vet Record ). Any further publicity on this would be welcomed and contacting Veterinary Poisons Information Service (see letter) would provide you with more information.

There are a number of dental products for freshening breath on the market, none of which, I know have had any scientific validation. Almost all halitosis in the dog is due to periodontal disease and should be treated accordingly.

I would be very concerned if any product used for dogs contained Xylitol. Ideally all human products should carry a warning about it’s use in the dog.

254 The Veterinary Record, February 23, 2008
Xylitol toxicity in dogs
SIR, – The Veterinary Poisons Information
Service (London) would like to warn veterinarians urgently about the hazard that xylitol, a sweetening agent, presents to
dogs.
It is found in some chewing gums and sweets, but recently has been marketed in the UK as a sugar substitute for use in
baking. Unfortunately, in dogs xylitol is a potent stimulator of insulin release, and reportedly has similar effects in goats and
cows. In dogs it also induces liver damage (Dunayer and Gwaltney-Brant 2006, Todd and Powell 2007), by a mechanism that has not been elucidated. Doses in dogs greater than 0·1 g/kg bodyweight may result in hypoglycaemia (Dunayer and Gwaltney-Brant 2006) and the lowest dose associated with liver failure is 0·5 g/kg (Dunayer 2006). Effects related to hypoglycaemia (vomiting, tachycardia, ataxia, coma, convulsions, hypokalaemia, hypomagnesaemia and hypophosphataemia)
may occur within an hour of ingestion, while hepatic damage is delayed for several hours.
Treatment for hypoglycaemia should be conventional and may need to be aggressive, but the prognosis for uncomplicated hypoglycaemia managed promptly is good. However, as warnings on the packaging seem poor, pet owners may not realise the potential risks involved with treats made with these products or attribute their dog’s illness to such foods.
We have contacted the manufacturers of some of these products to ensure they are aware of the risks, and in the hope that
warnings may be improved.
Alexander Campbell, Nicola Bates,
Veterinary Poisons Information Service,
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Poisons Unit,
Medical Toxicology Unit, Avonley Road,
London SE14 5ER
References
DUNAYER, E. K. (2006) New findings on the
effects of xylitol ingestion in dogs. Veterinary
Medicine 101, 791-798
DUNAYER, E. K. & GWALTNEY-BRANT, S. M.
(2006) Acute hepatic failure and coagulopathy
associated with xylitol ingestion in eight dogs.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association 229, 1113-1117
TODD, J. M. & POWELL, L. L. (2007) Xylitol
intoxication associated with fulminant hepatic
failure in a dog. Journal of Veterinary Emergency
and Critical Care 17, 286-289
Letters
Gazette

(Reproduced by kind persmission of the BVA)

In America they have been doing research into this since about 2004 but it is something that the BVA are only just becoming aware of.

 

The dog toothpaste I use is a big meaty marrow bone,

as for human toothpaste, Tom's of Maine.

The kids bring home gum with that crap in it, and it gets thrown out right away.

Thank you Marilyn for posting this,

 alot of people probably have no idea.

Mirasmon:  We have Toms here in Texas ,,I found it at Big Lots...ONE of the only brands with no Flouride, also on the chemical , do not use list...surprising that the dentist dont tell  you...money in their pocket..no skin off their teeth..lol

 

I have a girfriend whos dog is in ICU as I write this.  Liver lab studies elevated etc. due to the dog eating a pack of Orbit gum.  They are sure that he will recover but will have some liver issues.  So it is so true..............keep that gum out of the PAWS of dogs.