Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs

Xylitol is a common sugar substitute that is present in gums, candies, toothpaste, mouth wash, and baked goods. It is a five carbon sugar alcohol molecule that, while harmless to humans, is deadly to dogs. It is extracted from corn fiber, birch trees, and some other trees. Some symptoms of having consumed this produce are vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and in some cases liver failure.

Xylital usually causes symptoms within fifteen to thirty minutes. However, symptoms may occur as long as twelve hours after ingesting gum. The principle symptoms are lethargy, weakness, tremors, loss of coordination, vomiting, collapse and seizures. The dog may also be bleeding internally, as well. This can occur in the stomach, intestines, abdomen, and in the dog’s gums.

Liver failure is a severe and deadly symptom of xylitol. Xylitol causes the body to produce huge quantities of insulin, causing low blood sugar that starves the cells in the body. This cause the liver to shut down. A small piece of gum constitutes a fatal dose in some brands of sugar-free gum. Others do not have as high a concentration of xylitol and do not do as much damage unless a lot is eaten at once. Xylitol is one hundred times more toxic than chocolate. A dog who eats just 0.5g per kg of weight will suffer acute hepatic necrosis, or sudden liver death.

To diagnose xylitol poisoning, the veterinarian will run a complete blood profile and urinalysis. He will also take a detailed history to try and discover the source of the problem. Dogs with xylitol toxicity may also have bleeding disorders and so tests to see the dogs ability to clot will be done.

The first line of treatment for xylitol poisoning is the make the dog vomit to get rid of the toxin. This does not always help, as the dog may have digested the xylitol too much to vomit it out. Activated charcoal, which is used with so many poisons, does not work with xylitol. If the dog has low glucose, the treatment is supportive therapy with IV fluids. He is also given liver protective drugs and lots of IV fluids containing glucose. If, however, the liver is damaged, the prognosis is guarded to poor. The dog’s blood glucose must be monitored for at least twenty-four hours and the liver enzymes monitored for at least 72 hours. That means he will be in the hospital for twenty-four to seventy-two hours.

The prevention of this toxicity is simple, keep anything containing xylitol up out of reach of your dog. If the dog is persistent about raiding your cabinets and eating things he should not, you should dispose of all xylitol containing substances and ban it from your home. Be vigilant when walking your dog to make sure he does not pick up any gum or other food from the ground. You never know when it might contain xylitol and poison your dog.