[Ewilliams]

I have heard this recently and I just go tanother e-mail about it, so I thought I would post about it to see if you all already knew about this. There was a letter to the editor of our local paper and then I just got an e-mail today.

***Permission to cross-post***
Please forward this e-mail to all dog enthusiasts……my dog got into a purse over the weekend and ate an entire package of ORBIT gum. If I had not know about this poison and immediately rushed him to the ER, he would have had liver/kidney failure and died. We would have NEVER known it was due to the sugarless gum that he ate. Please forward this to anyone who has a dog, or anyone who knows of someone who has a dog! Please take the time to write to have WARNING LABELS on sugarless products that it may be toxic to your pet. Write to:



Food labeling and Standards Staff

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

US Food and Drug Administration

HFS-820

5100 Paint Branch Parkway

College Park, MC 20740



We need everyone to get involved and write a letter before it causes more mysterious deaths in canines!

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Re: Did you know that sugarless gum/candy kills do

Yes, the culprit is the ingredient xylitol. It's also used in some toothpastes - I know Tom's of Maine uses it, but I'm not sure how many others.

 

[arycrest]

THANKS FOR POSTING THE REMINDER ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS PRODUCT IS.

This problem has been around for the past few years. The sugarless product in question is Xylitol. Here's a current warning I found:
http://vetmedicine.about.com/b/2008/05/02/xylitol-dangerous-to-dogs-and-possibly-ferrets.htm

A 2006 warning about Xylitol from the AVMA:
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/oct06/061001b.asp

Here's the link to Snopes afirming the accuracy of the reports on the dangers of Xylitol to our puppers:
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/xylitol.asp

I buy a lot of sugarfree products, however, I refuse to purchase any product that I know has Xylitol in it.

 

[Powell]

I can't eat any sugarless gum lest I spend a lot of time in the bathroom in pain and on the throne.


Powell

 

[DancingCavy]

I knew of Xylitol's toxicity as well. I went to buy a B12 supplement for Risa and found a liquid one with Xylitol in it. I was so happy I thought to look at the ingredients and recognized it before I bought it and gave it to Risa!

It's always a good idea to check the ingredients on anything you plan on giving your dog.

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Wow Jamie, I never would have thought to look for xylitol in a vitamin - good to know!