# Xylitol,(sugar fee gum) is lethal! It happened to us.



## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

This is about me, Debby & my girls. It was published in a blog and just happened this year! Please be so very careful!

Reader’s report: Xylitol poisoning puts her dog, critically ill, in the ER
You’ll remember that at the end of February, reader Debra shared a lot of useful information about flying with two dogs at once in a divided carrier. She and her husband traveled with their pups Raisin and Mia, both Mexican Frenchies, to Ft. Myers, FL. Imagine my dismay when I heard from Debby, only a couple of weeks later, that Raisin was fighting for her life after eating some Orbit gum that fell out of Debby’s purse. I had heard about Xylitol poisoning, but hadn’t given it the attention it deserves. Here’s what Debby told me:

“I wish we were still in Ft. Meyers! I want to inform you and your readers of a generally unknown about poison that many of our dogs have easy access to.

My sweet girl Raisin has spent the last 30 hrs. at the pet ER/hospital battling for her life. It is Xylitol poisoning, in our case she got into some Orbit gum that had fallen out of my purse. It has been an extremely heartbreaking and expensive lesson to learn.

She was rushed to the vet with violent vomiting, when we arrived she took a look at her pale gums, shallow rapid breathing and sent her immediately to the ER vet. I had taken in the vomit, and we detected blue green pieces in it. That led to a quick diagnosis, thank goodness. Her glucose levels didn’t start to drop until about 18 hrs. after ingestion, so time was of the essence in monitoring and blood levels, which they run every three hours. She has been on IV infusions of fluids and glucose to stabilize her.”
She was rushed to the vet with violent vomiting, when we arrived she took a look at her pale gums, shallow rapid breathing and sent her immediately to the ER vet. I had taken in the vomit, and we detected blue green pieces in it. That led to a quick diagnosis, thank goodness. Her glucose levels didn’t start to drop until about 18 hrs. after ingestion, so time was of the essence in monitoring and blood levels, which they run every three hours. She has been on IV infusions of fluids and glucose to stabilize her.”


A very sick Raisin, a very worried Debra


Debby wrote to me first after 36 hours had passed, and told me that “the effects unfortunately are insidious and can continue for at least 72 hrs after ingestion.” She was able to bring Raisin home after about 40 hours — and after spending $1400.

“She was one VERY sick little girl and still at about 48 hrs. now, not out of the woods. I brought her home late last night, the vet had me feed her every 3 hours and give her a tsp. of Karo syrup to help keep her glucose levels up. So far she is acting fairly normal but will have more levels drawn over the next couple of days.






I will post a link to an informative explanation of why this product reacts as it does. The hospital ER said they are seeing up to two cases a month now and by the article’s graph it is apparent that this has just gone from nothing to almost epidemic proportions in the last few years. Very few people are aware of the impact of Xylitol. I also just thought your dog could get sick from this, but NEVER dreamed the extent and seriousness of the consequences. I am incensed that Xylitol carries no warnings at the VERY least. I will NEVER have anything with Xylitol in my home again and will be contacting this company to demand some type of warning label.”

As Debby emphasized in a follow-up message, one of the reasons Raisin survived is that they rushed to get her care when she began vomiting. Other indicators, per this article from the San Francisco Chronicle? “Lethargy, staggering, tremors or seizures, or unconscious[ness]. Some, but not all, dogs also vomit and have diarrhea.” Every article I’ve seen on the topic stresses that reacting within the first half-hour after exposure enormously improves your dog’s chances of survival.

Also, and it turned out to be crucially important, Debby saved and took with them the towels they used to clean up Raisin’s vomit:

“I threw all the paper towels with vomit and the vomit from the car ride into a plastic grocery bag. This was HUGE. They were able to search through it and pick out blue pieces of gum. She had gotten out of the electric fence earlier that day and I thought she had found some kind of poison. They said they thought it was gum and I realized I had caught her with a packet of Orbit gum earlier.”

What the article Debby linked to emphasizes is that Xylitol is an ingredient in a huge number of products you may have right now in your home — not just sugar-free gum. As the San Francisco Chronicle article says, it’s “widely used in all kinds of dental products including sugar-free gum, breath mints, toothpaste and mouthwash; even some veterinary dental products intended for canine use contain trace amounts of xylitol (which is safe).” But that’s not all — it’s also a common ingredient in food products, including “muffin, brownie and cookie mixes, as well as candy, energy bars, Jell-O, pudding and ice cream. It’s even sold in bulk for use in baking and beverages. In fact, just about anything sweet may contain xylitol.”

Any product with more than trace amounts of Xylitol is a danger for your dog (not so much for your cat, by the way). I plan to read labels closely from now on, and keep the stuff out of our house entirely. My warmest wishes to Debby and Raisin, and my thanks, too, for raising my awareness of this hazard. Keep it in mind as you travel! Even if you eliminate Xylitol from your home, the friend you’re visiting may not have! This is another reason to identify, ahead of time, an emergency vet at the place you’ll be visiting, and to program into your phone the number for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.


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## AnnHelen (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks so much for sharing. What a disgusting poison  lots of kisses for your friend and babies <3


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

AnnHelen said:


> Thanks so much for sharing. What a disgusting poison  lots of kisses for your friend and babies <3


Thanks, unfortunately this was not a friend but myself and one of my girls, Raisin.


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## TinaGirl (Apr 16, 2012)

Thanks So Much For Sharing Your Story ......


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## LadyDevlyn (Jul 8, 2013)

I was aware of the dangers with Xylitol. This past weekend Candi got a pack of my daughter's 5gum. She ate almost 4 pieces of unchewed gum. Fortunately, apparently that amount is not enough to cause problems. For reference, Candi weighs 5 lbs. She had no effects from the gum. I was very worried though. 


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

LadyDevlyn said:


> I was aware of the dangers with Xylitol. This past weekend Candi got a pack of my daughter's 5gum. She ate almost 4 pieces of unchewed gum. Fortunately, apparently that amount is not enough to cause problems. For reference, Candi weighs 5 lbs. She had no effects from the gum. I was very worried though.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


You were very lucky! Raisin is 8 pounds, chi x French bulldog and only ate one piece. That is the problem, there is know way to know how much, each time can be different. The lethal effects many times don't occur until the vomiting is done and may be 48 hrs. + later!


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## LadyDevlyn (Jul 8, 2013)

I actually did a bit more research on xylitol and gum. It apparently is good at preventing cavities and different brands of gum have different amounts. Orbit gum seems to be the one that has caused the most documented cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs. Orbit most likely has a higher than average amount of xylitol in it. Also, the teeth whitening gums have more xylitol. I thought it was just a sweetener, didn't realize some gums put more in for dental reasons. 


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## Baby Girls Mom (Aug 30, 2013)

No orbit gum in my household I don't want to take the chance thanks for sharing.


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## nabi (Nov 25, 2004)

Glad things turned ok for your little one...very scary for you indeed !


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

TinaGirl said:


> Thanks So Much For Sharing Your Story ......
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Pleas pass this info on to all you know...it shouldn't happen to one more pup!


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

nabi said:


> Glad things turned ok for your little one...very scary for you indeed !


Thank you, it was a horror. Please help pass this info to all you know, it is so preventable!


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

Baby Girls Mom said:


> No orbit gum in my household I don't want to take the chance thanks for sharing.


No,no...or any other sugar free gum, they all have it. Please help spread the word with friends, this was a nightmare and so easily avoided...!


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## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

I've never allowed any gum in our house since we first got Venus. There are also several foods I don't allow in the house either. Grapes and raisins being a couple. Gabe loves them, but he only gets them at Papa's house because I don't need him unknowingly harming the girls.


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## LadyDevlyn (Jul 8, 2013)

lilbabyvenus said:


> I've never allowed any gum in our house since we first got Venus. There are also several foods I don't allow in the house either. Grapes and raisins being a couple. Gabe loves them, but he only gets them at Papa's house because I don't need him unknowingly harming the girls.


That's like saying no chocolate allowed in the house either. I will not banish grapes or chocolate. We just make sure they are not accessible to the dogs. I do also still allow gum, but we have set some new rules as to where the children can keep it. The problem I have most is the children in the neighborhood who think nothing of spitting their gum out into the grass. Candi now looks for gum when we're walking. Drives me nuts. 


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## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

LadyDevlyn said:


> That's like saying no chocolate allowed in the house either. I will not banish grapes or chocolate. We just make sure they are not accessible to the dogs. I do also still allow gum, but we have set some new rules as to where the children can keep it. The problem I have most is the children in the neighborhood who think nothing of spitting their gum out into the grass. Candi now looks for gum when we're walking. Drives me nuts.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I'm not saying that's what everyone should do. But Gabe is two. So that's what I chose to do until he's old enough to know it's not funny to throw food on the floor. Then it won't be an issue. I have a strict no gum rule because Jer is completely careless with everything and thinks it's the dogs responsibility to not touch it if he leaves it in his bag on the floor. Honestly, he's worse than our child. 


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm so sorry your dog and you went through this! Thank you for sharing.


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## lilbabyvenus (Feb 8, 2009)

LadyDevlyn said:


> That's like saying no chocolate allowed in the house either. I will not banish grapes or chocolate. We just make sure they are not accessible to the dogs. I do also still allow gum, but we have set some new rules as to where the children can keep it. The problem I have most is the children in the neighborhood who think nothing of spitting their gum out into the grass. Candi now looks for gum when we're walking. Drives me nuts.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I don't get the no chocolate comment. I just made a statement about what we do because of our situation. I didn't mention chocolate. We just don't really have it in our house so it's a nonissue. Occasionally I will buy something for Jer and I and we'll keep it in the freezer, but Gabe is extremely hyperactive and Jer has diabetes so we don't usually have any sweets in the house.


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## LadyDevlyn (Jul 8, 2013)

lilbabyvenus said:


> I don't get the no chocolate comment. I just made a statement about what we do because of our situation. I didn't mention chocolate. We just don't really have it in our house so it's a nonissue. Occasionally I will buy something for Jer and I and we'll keep it in the freezer, but Gabe is extremely hyperactive and Jer has diabetes so we don't usually have any sweets in the house.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


That comment wasn't a personal dig, btw. The no chocolate comment was because that is also toxic for dogs. However, most families do have chocolate candy now and then. Diabetes is another issue altogether. The point was really that banning gum didn't have to be the answer for everyone. After all, most people don't ban chocolate or grapes. They are just more careful with those things. 


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

LadyDevlyn said:


> That comment wasn't a personal dig, btw. The no chocolate comment was because that is also toxic for dogs. However, most families do have chocolate candy now and then. Diabetes is another issue altogether. The point was really that banning gum didn't have to be the answer for everyone. After all, most people don't ban chocolate or grapes. They are just more careful with those things.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Of course everyone must do what's right for their household. We all know how that works, especially with kids and dogs!! At the time that this had happened to Raisin, I had two of my 3 college age boys at home on vacation.
As it happened, Raisin got into MY purse simply because I used Orbit totally unaware of the extent of the toxicity of xylitol. I consider myself very knowledgable having always had dogs, horses, cats, etc. I also was in the pharmaceutical industry as my career!
After this episode I had to put my foot down also. My boys are extremely careless about their backpacks & leaving things around in their rooms. 
This toxicity is extreme enough that I won't allow it in my house, car, etc. I have learned over the years that accidents can and WILL occur.
I also believe that my other girl Mia ingested xylitol before this episode when she got into my nieces purse last Christmas when we had 30+ people last Christmas. She survived but was extremely sick. I thought it was a chocolate brownie, looking back at her symptoms, I now believe it was gum.
Xylitol is in many sugar free items, it is also insidious....they may react differently, or not at all. Raisin at 8 pounds at no more than one piece. She was going into shock within 2 hrs., time was critical.
Knowledge and awareness is the key!! I do not feel we have been educated enough, most people are not aware of the toxicity of xylitol or that it is in sugar free gum. I started a Face book page and even contacted Wrigley and the AVA because I needed to help raise awareness and have more information of this issue.
The best thing we can do so to talk, talk & talk more about this so no one else has to go through what Raisin did. It was a horror to me and unimaginable that I could have lost her to a piece of gum!!!


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

So sorry this happened! Hope he is doing much better. This thread got me thinking tho--if Xylitol is toxic to dogs (don't think any humans have died from it), but I wonder what it's doing to any humans that do chew and some swallow it? Even tho we may not die from it, we could unknowingly be causing damage to ourselves. Just a thought!


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## debrawade10 (Oct 10, 2013)

woodard2009 said:


> So sorry this happened! Hope he is doing much better. This thread got me thinking tho--if Xylitol is toxic to dogs (don't think any humans have died from it), but I wonder what it's doing to any humans that do chew and some swallow it? Even tho we may not die from it, we could unknowingly be causing damage to ourselves. Just a thought!


Good question! A dogs pancreas metabolizes xylitol as a sugar, that's why it's so dangerous just to them. A cat and humans does not, that's why xylitol is used in diabetic foods and sugar free gum. 
A dog can go into shock from this which is what happened to my little girl. Liver failure and death can follow if they are not monitored with blood levels frequently. 
Very scary, needless to say I don't chew it anymore!


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