Soap bubbles: Good. Bubblegum: Bad! Photo: Tim PopUp/Flickr
The culprit is a sweetener called xylitol. While you may never have heard of it, there's a good chance you have it in your house. Xylitol is common in sugarless gum and in sugar-free snacks, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs have increased in recent years as the sweetener has been added to lots of new foods, Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, vice president of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, told Paw Nation. "There definitely has been an increase in the exposures of dogs to xylitol over the last several years, simply because there's more xylitol out there."
The chemical is completely safe for humans and most other animals, but in dogs, xylitol causes blood sugar levels to plummet. When blood sugar drops, Gwaltney-Brant says, "the brain isn't getting enough energy to do its job." After swallowing xylitol, dogs may vomit and become lethargic and disoriented. "If blood sugar drops low enough, they can have seizures," Gwaltney-Brant says. Without treatment, dogs can die.
That's not all. Dogs that eat a lot of xylitol can also suffer from liver damage. Researchers aren't sure what causes the liver problems, Gwaltney-Brant says, but the results can be grave.
A little xylitol goes a long way. Just two sticks of sugarless gum can be fatal for a 20-pound dog, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune, and a single sugar-free pudding cup can spell trouble for a 90-pound pooch. But those numbers can be misleading, Gwaltney-Brant cautions. Some brands of gum or candy contain no xylitol, while others contain relatively large amounts. Even within a single brand, the level of xylitol can vary from flavor to flavor and batch to batch, she says.
If you know or suspect your dog has gotten into foods that might contain xylitol, take him to the vet immediately, Gwaltney-Brant says. Problems from blood sugar levels dropping can occur quickly -- "often within 30 minutes to an hour," she notes. Vets can monitor blood sugar levels and start treatment to get blood sugar back up to safe levels.
If you're a fan of sugar-free products, check the labels to see whether they contain xylitol. And it should go without saying that you should do your best to keep Fido away from your gum. He can't blow bubbles anyway.
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Little did I know, I'm chewing sugarless bubblegum with Xylitol in it right now. It's a good thing I don't typically give any gum to my dogs.
Why in heavens name would anyone give their dog gum anyway! sugar free or not? As for sugar free snacks, that's why they make dogsnacks....hello!
I think they mean if it were accidental!
maybe cause they are careless and leave their purse down, or the gum in a pocket and the dog steals it. Dogs are very clever, contrary to what people think, and if they like a smell, they are going to try the taste. People shouldn't be giving dogs all kinds of things, yet there are deaths every day because the people are careless, thinking their dog wouldn't POSSIBLY try something.
It's like leaving the baby with poisonous stuff - it goes in the mouth first!
it is added in many sugar free food not only chewing gum .
Dogs get into things, dipstick. Probably no one GIVES their dog sugar free gum. But you leave it on a coffee table and the dog comes along and thinks you left him a Scooby snack and bingo, tragedy. Get it now?
Of course you don't give your dog gum.....but as they are outside sniffing they might find a spent piece of gum that was thrown away and in less than a second it's in their mouth.......
To watch them blow bubbles! Duh! LOL! XD
I give my dog whatever she wants as long as her Vet says there is no problem. He told me which mints/gum she could have and which she couldn't. Do you just eat carrot sticks for snacks? Do you only eat healthy foods? If you do, my hat is off to you. My sweet puppy is healthy and extremely happy-thanks to her vet.
Then you've never seen a dog with chewing gum! LOL!
Jacob, You don't eat gum you chew it. White teeth and fresh breath will turn Gladys on. Then dispose of the gum and Gladys properly.
Some rawhide is a dogs gum. Good article by the way.
Sometimes dogs get into peoples purses that are left lying around. Or maybe someone spit it out like little kids on the street and dogs may get ahold of it. Any kind of accident were there may be sugar free gum. Grocery bags lying on the floor to be put away. Some people don't know of these things so, getting the word out is a good thing.
Uh, folks, I think this applies not just to folks who actually GIVE their pets sugarless snacks, but moreso to those who leave stuff lying around and their dogs get into it. A curious pooch, or one who is left alone and to it's own mischevious devices and not much else to do might get into trouble. For instance, going through your purse and finding gum.
thank you!!! Someone who understands the story.
My dogs will sniff out anything I have even in my pocketbook, where usually gum might be kept. I don't even keep it in the house anymore. It is not worth it. I do not give them the run of the house because of what they will find. They will even eat bars of soap, but that usually just makes them throw up.
Betsy
I agree with you Bev. It shoulda read 'Another food besides chocolate that can be fatal to your dog.'
check out the aspca web site or your local animal contol. many of them have on line lists of foods that are a no no's for animals you will be suprised even cinnamon and rasins can make them sick . or
you can check with your vet They should be able to get a list for you . especially when you have kids you know they sneek food to the dogs like we all did when we were kids .
I know as a kid I probably gave something with chocolate in it to my dog but he did not get sick ,
I know that there are many things out there that make your dog sick. Grapes and raisins are highly deadly, to the woman with grandkids. Also, ALL chocolate is bad for dogs, just not all of it is deadly. It depends on if it's dark vs. milk, and the amount. Caffeine and sugar are not good for them. Now xylitol has been added to the list. There are some things on the list that are surprising-Cinnamon you say? Then how come it's in dog treats????! I give my dogs a treat that's 100% natural that's Oatmeal Cinnamon flavored. Maybe I should check out the website!
What many don't know is that onions are more likely to kill than chocolate. Like in leftovers fron your table! My 4 dogs get dog food and dog treats. That's it.
COOKED Onions are supposed to me bad for Dogs, and BAKER'S CHOCOLATE (not regular chocolate) can be fatal. That's why when people say their dog accidentally ate a chocolate candy bar and he didn't even get sick, it makes sense. Also the EYES on potatoes.