Sweetener xylitol, found in many products, causes seizures in
dogs
Gilroy – Dogs eat a lot of things they shouldn?t: M&Ms, medications, and yes, even homework. But a single gram of the sweetener xylitol could give Fido a seizure.
?A piece of gum ? is enough to make a 20-pound dog sick,? said Michelle Bundros, a registered veterinary technician at Gilroy Veterinary Hospital. ?If your dog gets in your purse, err on the side of caution: Bring them to the vet.?
Xylitol, a carb-free sugar substitute, is found in many sugar-free gums and candies. Harmless to humans, it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, triggering seizures, depression and loss of coordination.
Local veterinarians say they haven?t observed any cases in Gilroy. But with the sweetener popping up in more and more products, xylitol poisoning has skyrocketed, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, whose Animal Poison Control Center treated 170 cases in 2005 ? more than twice as many as in 2004.
Dogs eating what they shouldn?t is nothing new. Veterinarian Pete Keesling says he treats dogs for ?garbage gut,? an illness caused by eating trash, at least four times a week at his San Martin Veterinary Hospital. His office distributes a pamphlet titled ?101 Things You Didn?t Know Could Harm Your Pet,? which lists xylitol along with everyday groceries such as raisins, onions, avocados and chocolate.
Bundros said canine culinary no-nos are becoming a bigger issue, as some dog owners try to make their own pet food. High-protein ?Catkins? or ?Dogkins? diets, which cut out the grains and corn in commercial dog food, might actually be better for animals, she said, but owners need to know what their animals can, can?t, and shouldn?t eat.
Emily Alpert covers public safety issues for The Dispatch. She can be reached at 847-7158, or at ea*****@************ch.com.
