Dog Owners Warned Over Sugar-Free Items

AOL/Reuters ^ | 9/30/2006

[KJC1]

NEW YORK (Sept. 30) - Keep those sugarless treats out of Fido's reach. Veterinarians warned on Friday that a commonly used sweetener might cause liver failure in dogs, and perhaps even kill them.

Their report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association appears to strengthen the suspected link between the sugar substitute xylitol, thought to make dogs sick, and possible liver failure.

Xylitol, a naturally occurring product, is found in many sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and toothpastes.

Researchers Sharon Gwaltney-Brant and Eric Dunayer with staff at a poison unit of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Urbana, Illinois, gathered information on eight dogs treated between 2003 and 2005 after eating products containing xylitol.

Each dog became ill, and five died or had to be put down because of liver failure, possibly from ingesting xylitol.

[KJC1]

An FYI for all of the dog lovers out there.

[Jeff Chandler]

Note to self: no more sugar free Trident for the dog.

[monkapotamus]

Yeah I've heard about this before. Scary. Everyone spread the word.

[EGPWS]

Xylitol, a naturally occurring product, is found in many sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and toothpastes.

Milk bone will have to suffice.

[Cicero]

I never drink sugar free stuff myself, either. I just don't trust the stuff. Saccharine was outlawed, but I suspect that many of the substitutes are probably worse.

[nuconvert]

That's scary. Thanks for posting.

"One dog who had to be euthanized had eaten four large, chocolate-frosted muffins containing about 1 pound of xylitol."

4 muffins with a POUND of sweetener?

[gramcam]

I've been trying for years to get my family to stop the sugar-free stuff. I would think that if this kills dogs ... it can't be too good for humans. No?

Grandma Millie

[ThePythonicCow]

no more sugar free Trident for the dog.

No ... though I trust you spoke in jest (that, or you have a very odd dog ;) ... Trident doesn't have zylitol.

From Walgreens.com, it uses Sorbitol, Maltitol, and Mannitol for sweetening:

Ingredients
Sorbitol , Gum Base , Maltitol , Mannitol , Artificial Flavoring , Natural Flavoring , Acacia Less Than 2% , Acesulfame Potassium Less Than 2% , Aspartame Less Than 2% , BHT Less Than 2% - to Maintain Freshness , Calcium Casein Peptone-Calcium Phosphate Less Than 2% - Lactose-free Milk Derivative , Candelilla Wax Less Than 2% , Glycerin Less Than 2% , Sodium Stearate Less Than 2% , Titanium Dioxide Less Than 2% - Color

[KJC1]

Not to mention that the dog ate chocolate too. Sounds like a double-whammy. :(

[headstamp]

The chocolate itself isn't good for a dog either.

[EGPWS]

Veterinarians warned on Friday that a commonly used sweetener might cause liver failure in dogs, and perhaps even kill them.

I don't know what would be worse for my Silver, liver failure or death.

I trust a dog can live without a liver after reading this?

[John123]

Needless to say, sugar-free products may be dangerous to humans too. I heard that you can use sugar-free packets to kill ants. Haven't tried it yet. I usually try to stay away from those things anyway.

[jnygrl]

I keep my family away from the artificial stuff as well. For me, personally, I have a reaction to it...usually a headache.

[nuconvert]

I think people freak out too much about chocolate and dogs. I know of several dogs that have eaten large candy bars and were fine or had a little diarrhea. My vet said they have to eat a lot to cause serious problems.

But getting back to my original comment.....a POUND of sweetener?? Who uses a pound?

[ThePythonicCow]

I would think that if this kills dogs ... it can't be too good for humans. No?

Not necessarily. They can prey my chocolate from my cold dead fingers. But don't feed chocolate to your dog.

In some cases, such as chocolate, and perhaps xylitol, the substance is quite ok if you have the enzymes to digest it.

Xylitol is my preferred sweetener - healthier for humans, because we digest it slower than other sugars, so doesn't cause an insulin rush, and because it is not recognized as food by oral bacteria, so doesn't contribute to dental caries. It's a five carbon sugar, unlike other sugars that have six carbons.

[ThePythonicCow]

large candy bars

Candy bars don't have that much chocolate - more sugars and other cheaper fats.

A big bar of bitter or semi-sweat cooking chocolate would be more dangerous for a dog.

[Nik Naym]

Sugar substitutes have been used for many years. In the case of Saccharine and Aspartame many decades.

No one has ever died from sugar substitute use.

However, many people who would have died from consuming sugar (Diabetics) are alive and able to enjoy many more foods and drinks because of sugar substitutes.

These substances have been studied for many years and so far have proved to be safe. (Save for a cancer scare for Saccharine after giving insane amounts of it to rats)

Sucralose and aspartame are derived from sugar.

Of course, this is America, so science has nothing to do with anything. We just let popular opinion decide what is safe and what isn't.

Don't give it to your dogs or pet ants. It wasn't designed for them anyway.

[steveo]

Fear mongering pseudoscience. Why not a link to the study?

Google Teflon and parrots. You find all sort of 'proof' that Teflon used in a house with parrots will cause instant death. Same biz with Febreze... instant death!

Would I give my dog a cupcake? No way, I'd give him a pork chop or a beef rib.

[ThePythonicCow]

I was wrong. Some flavors of Trident do have some Xylitol, such as:

Ingredients
Sorbitol , Gum Base , Glycerin , Mannitol , Natural Flavors , Artificial Flavors , Xylitol , Citric Acid , Malic Acid , Acetylated Monoglycerides , Soy Lecithin , Aspartame , Acesulfame Potassium , BHT to Maintain Freshness , Yellow 6 Lake , Yellow 5 Lake , Yellow 5 , Red 40 , Yellow 6 , Blue 1

[nuconvert]

"Don't give it to your dogs or pet ants. "

LoL. That made me laugh