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.
Gwaltney-Brant said for dogs, ingesting even a small amount of xylitol can trigger significant insulin release, which drops their blood sugar and can be fatal.
"A 22-pound dog who consumes one gram of xylitol should be treated," she said, adding that further studies were needed to definitely establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
After reading this, I now discovered that the yummy Trident gum I've been using has xylitol in it. No, I've never given it to my dogs, but if a piece had dropped on the floor, I would have let them have, not thinking anything about it. I know our dogs love sweets, so every now & then I give them something. Sasha loves Hot Tamales!!!
And now the vent of the day. As you might know, I quit my job in February & since that time our family hasn't had insurance. For Charlie to get it would be $1200 per month. Crazy. So we've done without & been fine. Then 3 weeks ago, my foot became swollen. It's still swollen & painful. So I finally made an appointment yesterday at a clinic that I had already been to. Spent 2 hours in there with Dane (he was being so good) taking x-rays & a preg test ($25!!!! just had my period 3 days ago) & they tell me they don't know, I'll have to go see another doctor!! $180 of I Don't Know!!!! I just feel like they send us running around, telling us "I'm not sure, go see this person" while each one is still raking in money. And people wonder why insurance is so high??!! I had so many other things going on yesterday, I didn't get a chance to call the other place yet, I want to find out first how much everything will be. We are going on vacation at the end of the month & I don't want to spend alot. At the clinic, I should have asked about a payment plan, but none was offered & I was so upset that they couldn't tell me what was wrong, plus Dane was starting to get cranky, I just whipped out the debit card & paid. And the $25 for the preg test really made me mad when I can go to Dollar Tree & buy one for $1!!!!! AGHHHHHHH!!!!!!
O-Kay, I'm done.
On a happier note, I'm planning on decorating for Halloween today. Charlie has to drive to Tampa for a mgr's meeting. So I want to get it all done before he comes home tomorrow. I really want to make an outdoor scene, something with some bales of hay & maybe a scarecrow. I don't think anyone else on the street will do much if anything. I saw some sunflower plants at Wally World yesterday. And there is a church that has a pumpkin patch that I want to take Dane to & pick out a pumpkin.
See ya peeps!!!!
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