Got a dog? Lock up your xylitol, because it's a killer.
And it may be hiding in places you'd never think to look.
Xylitol kills stealthily and swiftly. I often wonder how many people go to work in the morning, after kissing their perfectly healthy fur babies on the nose, only to come home to find the unthinkable has happened while they were away. Most of them will never know why. However, in 2020, the Pet Poison Helpline had 5,846 calls related to xylitol poisoning. As xylitol use in both food and non-food products increases, you have to wonder how many sudden, unexplained deaths in previously healthy dogs could be attributed to xylitol toxicity.
What is xylitol?
Xylitol is a natural sweetener used as a sugar substitute in many food and non-food products. It’s been used in many brands of sugar-free gum for decades, but once scientists discovered its low glycemic index (which means it doesn’t raise blood sugar as much as some other sweeteners, which makes it attractive for diabetics), its use expanded dramatically.
Why is xylitol toxic for dogs?
Dogs’ bodies react differently to xylitol than our bodies. Their systems see it as sugar, causing the pancreas to release a sudden and excessive amount of insulin — which, in turn, results in sudden (10 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the dog and the amount of xylitol ingested) and severe hypoglycemia. Left untreated — like when the dog is home alone for hours while you go about your business — it can be fatal. And even if your dog survives the hypoglycemia, they can be left with permanent liver damage.
That’s why immediate treatment is critical. If you find a trail of gum wrappers on the floor (I’ll provide a list of other products below), don’t think about where else they could have come from — just call your vet.
How much xylitol does it take to make a dog sick?
It depends on the size of the dog, but very little — a single stick of gum containing xylitol could kill a small dog. It comes down to about 0.05 grams of xylitol per pound of body weight. For many brands of chewing gum, each stick contains between .22-1.0 grams of xylitol.
OK, that’s scary. What other products contain xylitol?
The list is growing all the time, and not all of the culprits are food products.
Sugar-free candy
Breath mints
Baked goods (especially those advertised as “sugar free”)
Peanut butter
Ketchup
BBQ sauce
Protein bars and powders
Flavored waters or the powders you can use to create your own (We go through a ton of these at our house. When we go to the dog park, I make sure to take water for my dog in a separate bottle so I don’t accidentally give her mine.)
OTC medications, especially those labeled as “melts”
Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Chewable vitamins
Low-calorie or sugar-free desserts such as ice cream
Even some items that aren’t meant to be consumed can contain xylitol:
Nasal sprays
Sunscreen
Deodorant
Baby wipes
Hair products
And, strangely enough, some athletic clothing
My Border Terrier is now 14 and quite senile, but she’s always been obsessed with licking the legs of anyone wearing lotion (which is why I have crocodile skin!).
For the most up-to-date list of products containing xylitol, visit Preventivevet.
What are the signs of xylitol poisoning?
First of all, if you see any evidence that your pet may have gotten into something — like a trail of gum wrappers on the kitchen floor, or an open bottle of body lotion lying where it has no business being, don’t worry about symptoms — drop what you’re doing and call your vet.
With that said, if your dog wasn’t gracious enough to leave you any clues, think “xylitol poisoning” first (and call your vet) if you notice any of the following symptoms of xylitol poisoning:
Vomiting
Weakness
Lack of coordination or difficulty walking or standing
Weakness/sluggishness or lethargy
Tremors
Seizures
Coma
Can xylitol poisoning be cured?
If you get your dog to the vet before symptoms develop — if you catch him in the act, for instance — prognosis is pretty good. If symptoms have developed, your vet will draw bloodwork and provide supportive care — such as dextrose to raise blood sugar, fluids to maintain proper hydration, and medications to protect the liver. In almost all cases, your dog will need to be hospitalized for around-the-clock monitoring.
Chances for a full recovery are much lower if liver damage has already occurred.
What can I do?
Be overly cautious. I thought my kids’ Christmas candy was perfectly safe stashed in our closet…behind my clothes! AND IN INDIVIDUAL WRAPPINGS!
Put products containing xylitol out of reach. If you have a Great Dane, you may need a ladder! If you have a super-smart breed like my Australian Shepherd, watch your trash can! We had one of those kitchen trash cans with a foot pedal. She learned how to operate that and pull yummies out of the trash in about 30 seconds. So we bought one that you open by swiping your hand over the top; she figured out how to do that with her snout. The obvious answer, of course, is to take the trash out when it gets full, but that doesn’t happen all the time. (I refuse to do it when I have a houseful of boys.) So when it gets full, I just turn it around backwards.
And if you have a nose-to-the-ground, food-driven dog like my Border Terrier, think about it from that angle, too. Out-of-sight isn’t out-of-mind if they can smell it!Put products containing xylitol out of reach even when it’s inconvenient. Sure, you walk in the door with your umbrella and a handful of wet mail and don’t think anything about dumping your purse on the couch. And it can be a little awkward to ask your guests to let you put their purses in another room, but it’s worth it to protect your dog’s life. (And if you’re anything like me and start feeling a bit homicidal when somebody is smacking on gum, you get the bonus benefit of avoiding a sentence of life in prison!)
Don’t feed your dogs people food. And don’t let them lick your plate. That leftover syrup from your pancakes could contain a lethal doze of xylitol.
Make sure your dogs can’t get into your cosmetics. My 14yo Border Terrier is deaf and senile, and I’m not sure she can see so well. But her nose is still operating at 100%, and she’s constantly sniffing everything when I’m putting my makeup on. Fortunately, she won’t let me out of her sight anymore, so I don’t have to worry about her getting into things when I’m not around, but if your dog isn’t attached to your hip, make sure you keep drawers and cabinets closed.
Don’t let your dog lick you if you’re wearing lotion or sunscreen. My Aussie won’t go beyond the usual sniff and lick, but my Border Terrier is obsessed. And I mean that literally — she will never, ever stop licking. We have to physically restrain her.
And if your summers look anything like ours — with hordes of teenagers wandering in and out of the pool — keep an eye on the sunscreen. Make sure they put it on patio tables, not the patio.
My usual disclaimer: I’m not a vet, and this is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Most of it is common sense once you’re aware of the danger. But a lot of people aren’t, which is why I wrote this post. So, as I always say, use me as a starting point, but do your own research.
Did your sweet dog survive?