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October 02, 2006
A message for Bogie's canine compadres
For the love of Lassie, don't let your dogs eat sugar-free treats!
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.
[...]
One dog who had to be euthanized had eaten four large, chocolate-frosted muffins containing about 1 pound (0.45 kg) of xylitol.
"People don't think sugar-free gum can kill their dog. I didn't before I got into this. But this is something people should be aware of," Gwaltney-Brant, who co-authored the study with Dunayer, said in a statement.
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 (10-kg) dog who consumes one gram (0.03 ounces) of xylitol should be treated," she said, adding that further studies were needed to definitely establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
I've been careful over the years to not give Bogie scraps; nothing but Nutro kibble and treats for the fella. An added benefit is that he doesn't beg, 'cause it doesn't work. Keeping him on a consistent diet of high-quality dog food has kept him healthy, with no digestive problems at all.
Now it seems that there's an added benefit to avoiding having Bogie finish the leftovers: he won't shuffle off this mortal coil, courtesy of a sugar-free treat.
Posted by Mike Lief at October 2, 2006 01:16 AM
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Comments
The article I read on this explained how horrific and painful the symptoms are. Yikes! It scared the daylights out of me.
Posted by: Thin Ice at October 2, 2006 01:20 PM