Xylitol - Beware!

ortegah said:
What brand of gum did they have though?
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sugar-free Orbit gum. It definitely had the ingredient being discussed here in it. I didn't even know it was "poisonous" until I posted something on here LOL about it and someone said that ingredient will harm dogs. I was talking to my girlfriend and my one puppy actually ate a whole pack, which I believe is SIXTEEN pieces. She broke into it in the middle of the night ... she even ate the wrappers. My boy dog broke into it when we left him alone in a hotel room to go down to the pool... he ate around 10 pieces. He ate it first and he never acted any different. Lily, it was the middle of the nigh so I wasn't around her when it happened. I was my boy dog n I know for sure it didn't affect him negatively! I wouldn't take a chance as I doubt it can be good for them even if it isn't life-threatening.
 
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I just did a quick read through the journal literature, and there aren't a whole lot of studies with control groups with xylitol studies - I did find one from 1966 - Plasma insulin response to intravenously administered xylitol in dogs - that showed definite changes to blood insulin levels after injections, as compared to regular glucose. So, it can show changes in blood levels. And of course there were several reports of dogs becoming very ill, some dying, after consuming xylitol - Staffie, lab, pekinese, etc. from the literature. I will say that the cited Blood glucose and liver function in dogs administered a xylitol drinking water additive at zero, one and five times dosage rates is from a very new journal - they say they're peer reviewed, but are still looking for submissions to publish their first issue. All of which can mean a bit of wariness about the articles.

I'm not a vet, but I might guess that perhaps some dogs can tolerate higher levels without showing adverse effects? Like the tales of people feeding their dogs lots of chocolate and the dogs never getting sick, or lots of onions, etc. Like marymrumfelt said, I still wouldn't chance it and would avoid it at all costs. I avoid it for myself, anyway, so I would definitely not give it to my dog.
 
marymrumfelt said:
This was a very interesting read... the World Health Organization did a study with beagles for a year in that their diet was made up of 20% Xylitol and then they killed them (awful, yes) and did autopsies and found no abnormalities to any of their organs. check it out....


http://www.ebvet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=444
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Your dogs do have strange, seizure like episodes though. Any chance it could be related to the gum they ate? Or did you get to the bottom of what was going on with them?
 
OntarioSheltie said:
Your dogs do have strange, seizure like episodes though. Any chance it could be related to the gum they ate? Or did you get to the bottom of what was going on with them?
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My dogs had the episodes six months before they ever got into gum. They actually went from May until November NOT having any. That's odd... His last episode was the day BEFORE the gum incident. If it had been the day he got into the gum, I would have thought to link the two for sure because one of the symptoms of the xylitol is being wobbly. He had been given flea medicine the day before his last episode. And her last episode was about two weeks before the gum. She's had one since, but he hasn't had one since the end of May. After many, many tests internally the vets said it's something neurological and suggest a CAT scan... we haven't gone forward, though... They don't happen too often luckily.
 
marymrumfelt said:
sugar-free Orbit gum. It definitely had the ingredient being discussed here in it. I didn't even know it was "poisonous" until I posted something on here LOL about it and someone said that ingredient will harm dogs. I was talking to my girlfriend and my one puppy actually ate a whole pack, which I believe is SIXTEEN pieces. She broke into it in the middle of the night ... she even ate the wrappers. My boy dog broke into it when we left him alone in a hotel room to go down to the pool... he ate around 10 pieces. He ate it first and he never acted any different. Lily, it was the middle of the nigh so I wasn't around her when it happened. I was my boy dog n I know for sure it didn't affect him negatively! I wouldn't take a chance as I doubt it can be good for them even if it isn't life-threatening.
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That's because Orbit is by Wrigley and Wrigley doesn't use Xylitol. They use Sorbitol. It's enough to give him a stomach ache or the runs but it doesn't make their blood sugar drop like Xylitol. That's why he didn't get sick ;)
 
ortegah said:
That's because Orbit is by Wrigley and Wrigley doesn't use Xylitol. They use Sorbitol. It's enough to give him a stomach ache or the runs but it doesn't make their blood sugar drop like Xylitol. That's why he didn't get sick ;)
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No, I went and checked the package when someone said something to me and Xylitol was right there on the ingredients... I went to their website and it explains why/how they use it...It doesn't get 100% of it's sweetness from Xylitol but it is definitely in there. It says on that website about 15% of the gum's sweetness is from Xylitol.... Maybe it needs to be high doses? Luckily, also, he didn't get any diarrhea as we were at a hotel and I was with him closely each time he went out. It's pretty rare my dogs get diarrhea, though. Either way, I'm thankful nothing happened to them and yes, a little more leery about the every-growing list of things dogs are allergic, too.

Also, the main article all over the net about a dog's experience with xylitol refers to him eating orbit, sugar-free gum. Who knows? Apparently, I have wonder puppies who are immune! :)

http://www.wrigleydentalcare.com/orbit_us/about-wrigley/frequently-asked-questions/xylitol/index.htm
 
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marymrumfelt said:
No, I went and checked the package when someone said something to me and Xylitol was right there on the ingredients... I went to their website and it explains why/how they use it...It doesn't get 100% of it's sweetness from Xylitol but it is definitely in there. It says on that website about 15% of the gum's sweetness is from Xylitol.... Maybe it needs to be high doses? Luckily, also, he didn't get any diarrhea as we were at a hotel and I was with him closely each time he went out. It's pretty rare my dogs get diarrhea, though. Either way, I'm thankful nothing happened to them and yes, a little more leery about the every-growing list of things dogs are allergic, too.

Also, the main article all over the net about a dog's experience with xylitol refers to him eating orbit, sugar-free gum. Who knows? Apparently, I have wonder puppies who are immune! :)

http://www.wrigleydentalcare.com/orbit_us/about-wrigley/frequently-asked-questions/xylitol/index.htm
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Ooh I see! I could've sworn I read an article that said that they didn't use Xylitol in their products anymore. Hmm...
 
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