Sugarless gum poisoning? :(

[SirJoseph]

So...Thursday I fell asleep watching Pawn Stars and woke up around 11:30 with the TV on and JOE sleeping nearby. I get up and start turning off lights etc and going back to bed when I see a set of earbuds chewed up, an intact dollar bill and a half chewed pak of sugarless gum (Trident) There were a few chewed pieces and the rest was missing. I didn't think much of it, I was half asleep and had no idea that sugarless gum is poison to dogs. A co-worker mentioned it and so I called the vet and found out that JOE could possibly die within the next 48 hours from poisoning. The artificial sweetener in sugarless gum is poison. At first it's supposed to cause a spike in insulin production, which causes the dogs blood sugar to plummet and they die within a few hours and secondary to that is liver failure. I'm just stunned. He is a few hours away from the 48 hour mark and I have seen zero symptoms of poisoning etc...BUT damn I been pretty upset the past couple of days watching JOE for the slightest change in behavior etc... Enough to make you crazy - arrrrrgggghhhhhh...I had no idea and had never heard of this before. Has anyone else experienced this with their bullies before?


JOE seems to be fine and is being his regular pain in the butt self

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Scott, I haven't experienced our guys eating sugarless gum, but I did know it is poisonous to dogs. It's the Aspartame, or Xylitol, that causes the problems. I'm so sorry you're going though this with Joe, and I hope since he hasn't shown any signs yet, that he's going to be okay. These bullies will get into everything and anything. I swear they think they are bully goats, or garbage compactors. They'll be the death of us. My male Bulldozer has eaten 4 sweat socks and a dish cloth, we've been really lucky so far, as he's either thrown them up, or pooped them out, and he's not had problems from it. We have to watch him like a hawk, even outside, he eats rocks, sticks, wrappers, Kleenex, and pinecones. I swear they're like little kids, you have to keep everything out of their reach. My female Blossom doesn't eat objects, but she is so food motivated, she goes crazy for food, dog food, cat food, bird food, and she will get into our garbage any, chance she can. Last year she got into my grandsons Bulk Barn candies, she ate 7 bags of candy, gummy bears, gummy worms, Maltesers, sour keys, sour peaches, and chocolate. She managed to eat all the candy, without eating the little baggies they were in. We took her to the vet, and she gave her something that made her throw up, she vomited 5 bowls of penny candies. The vet said she'd never seen so much candy come out of a dog. It all came up undigested and whole, I don't know how she didn't choke on it. Since we took her to the vet right away, she didn't have any problems after, no diarrhea or sickness. We were lucky we were home, because chocolate is very poisonous as well, and can cause kidney failure, but the vet also said the gummy candies could have congealed in her stomach and caused an obstruction. I am sending love, hugs and prayers that Joe is okay, please keep us posted on how he's doing.

Here is a list of other foods that are poisonous for dogs:

07-15-2010, 11:26 AM #1
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Foods and Household Items that are dangerous for dogs.....
I wanted to start a topic of things that are in most homes that can cause a severe danger to your pets.




Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical stimulant that, together with caffeine and theophylline, belongs to the group of methylxanthine alkaloids. Dogs are unable to metabolize theobromine effectively. If they eat chocolate, the theobromine can remain in their bloodstreams for up to 20 hours, and these animals may experience fast heart rate, hallucinations, severe diarrhea, epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding, and eventually death.


Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause acute renal failure in dogs. The exact mechanism is not known, nor any means to determine the susceptibility of an individual dog. While as little as one raisin can be fatal to a susceptible ten pound dog, many other dogs have eaten as much as a pound of grapes or raisins at a time without ill effects. The dog usually vomits a few hours after consumption and begins showing signs of renal failure three to five days later.


Onions & Garlic: Onions and to a significantly lesser extent garlic contain thiosulfate which causes hemolytic anemia in dogs (and cats). Thiosulfate levels are not affected by cooking or processing. Small puppies have died of hemolytic anemia after being fed baby food containing onion powder. Occasional exposure to small amounts is usually not a problem, but continuous exposure to even small amounts can be a serious threat.


Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts can cause stiffness, tremors, hyperthermia, and abdominal pain. The exact mechanism is not known. Most dogs recover with supportive care when the source of exposure is removed.


Beer: Hops, the plant used to make common beer, can cause malignant hyperthermia in dogs, usually with fatal results. Certain breeds, such as Greyhounds, seem particularly sensitive to hop toxicity, but hops should be kept away from all dogs. Even small amounts of hops can trigger a potentially deadly reaction, even if the hops are "spent" after use in brewing.


Antifreeze: Antifreeze, due to its sweet taste, poses an extreme danger of poisoning to a dog (or cat) that either drinks from a spill or licks it off its fur. The antifreeze itself is not toxic, but is metabolized in the liver to a compound which causes kidney failure, and eventual seizures, and death. By the time symptoms are observed, the kidneys are usually too damaged for the dog to survive so acting quickly is important.


Avacados: LEAVES, STEM, PIT & BARK of tree contain Persin. The meat (fruit) part is safe, and found in foods like Avoderm and are wonderful for the dogs coat.


Apples & Apricots: The fruit is safe, the leaves and seeds are not


Human Vitamins: Most human vitamins contain large amounts of Iron, which is not good for our furry friends. Only give your pet vitamins made for dogs


Sources: Dog Obedience Training .com , ASPCA




If anyone else knows of unsafe foods, products, ect in your home, please add to the list!


0 Comment(s)

 

[Texas Carol]

Did the Vets suggest anything to do other than watch him?

Praying he is going to be fine...please update us...so scary!

Sending you big hugs!

 

[Davidh]

we don't buy sugarless gum, so it is not in our house. I hope your boy is OK, Xylitol is very toxic to dogs, so you have to make sure sugarless gum, candy, and even toothpaste is out of their reach.

 

[Petra]

Aww, he's so cute<3 I'm glad he's doing good, I'd go insane if mine did that They're such brats, lol. Hope he will get through it without any issues, hugs to you both

 

[2BullyMama]

Yes, knew of it, but never experienced it. How is he this morning?

 

[Vikinggirl]

Just checking in to see how Joe is doing this morning. Hope he's okay. Has he shown any symptoms from eating the gum?

 

[Texas Carol]

​Checking on Joe, praying all is well~GOD bless y'all

 

[SirJoseph]

The vet said there's not much to do except keep an eye on him at this point because of the amount of time that had passed before I realized what he had done. I guess within the first hour he could have had his stomach pumped. He still seems OK except he has been drooling more than usual. He doesn't normally drool that much so I don't know if that is something. No other signs I can think of or see.

He still seems to be doing OK - He's having is breakfast right now.

Thanks for the kind words and concern..I'm about sick over this.

 

[Texas Carol]

Well, I guess so, Scott...please don't blame yourself, things happen!
And because you are so intent on him, everything he does is magnified.
So much time has passed, hopefully he's fine, know I'm praying GOD's
protection over Joe...so sorry you're sick w/worry

 

[2BullyMama]

Carol is right.... everything will seem not right or not normal .. try to relax. if there is no symptoms by now, he may not have ingested any and you chalk this up to a learning experience

 

[ddnene]

Wow I had NO idea about the sugarless gum… I always have to keep my purse up because of my grandkid. I'm so sorry, I hope that Joe is doing okay… keep us posted!!!

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Scott, glad to hear Joe is doing okay. I looked up the symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs and this is what I found.

Drooling isn't listed as one of the symptoms, and it does say that affects usually occur within 10 to 60 minutes after ingestion of xylitol. It's been many hours since he ate the gum, and he seems okay, so hopefully he will be fine. Continue to watch him, and look for the signs and symptoms listed, but since it's been several hours,he should be fine. Continuing to hope and pray for you and Joe. Keep us posted.


What is Xylitol?


Xylitol is a naturally occurring substance that is widely used as a sugar substitute. Chemically, it is a sugar alcohol, and in nature it is found in berries, plums, corn, oats, mushrooms, lettuce, trees, and some other hardwood trees and fruits.


Commercially, most xylitol is extracted from corn fiber, birch trees, hardwood trees and other vegetable material. Although it has been used as a sugar substitute for decades, its popularity has increased dramatically in the last few years.


How is it used?


Xylitol is manufactured into a white powder that looks and tastes similar to sugar. In many countries it has been approved for use in oral care products, pharmaceuticals and as a food additive. Products that may contain xylitol include sugar-free gum, candies, breath mints, baked goods, cough syrup, children's chewable vitamins, mouthwash, and toothpaste, to list a few.


Why is xylitol increasing in popularity and use?


Xylitol is about as sweet as sucrose, but contains only about two-thirds of the calories. As a sugar substitute, it is lower on the glycemic index, a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood sugar levels compared to glucose. Being lower on the glycemic index makes xylitol useful for diabetics or people on low carbohydrate diets.


With respect to oral health, research has shown that xylitol helps reduce the formation of plaque, inhibits dental cavities, and stimulates the production of saliva.


How safe is xylitol?


Xylitol is safe for use in humans. Xylitol, like most sugar alcohols, may have a mild laxative effect when eaten in large amounts, when first introduced to a diet. This occurs because, until the digestive system adapts, xylitol may not be completely digested in the intestines. This causes mild diarrhea and/or mild intestinal discomfort.


"Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs."


However, xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs.


Why is xylitol toxic to dogs?


In the past 5 years, Pet Poison Helpline, an animal poison control based out of Minneapolis, MN, has had over 1500 calls for xylitol poisoning, due to the growing awareness of this common kitchen toxin. In both humans and dogs, the level of blood sugar is controlled by the release of insulin from the pancreas. Xylitol does not stimulate the release of insulin from the pancreas in humans. However, when non-primate species (e.g., a dog) eat something containing xylitol, the xylitol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in a potent release of insulin from the pancreas. This rapid release of insulin results in a rapid and profound decrease in the level of blood sugar (hypoglycemia), an effect that occurs within 10-60 minutes of eating the xylitol. Untreated, this hypoglycemia can be life-threatening.


How much xylitol is poisonous to a dog?


The dose of xylitol that can cause hypoglycemia in the dog has been reported between 50 milligrams (mg) of xylitol per pound of body weight (100 mg per kg). The higher the dose ingested, the more the risk of liver failure. The most common source of xylitol poisoning that Pet Poison Helpline gets called about comes from sugar-free gum. With certain brands of gum, only 9 pieces of gum can result in severe hypoglycemia in a 45 pound dog, while 45 pieces would need to be ingested to result in liver failure. With other common brands of gum (which contain 1 g/piece of gum), only 2 pieces would result in severe hypoglycemia, while 10 pieces can result in liver failure. As there is a large range of xylitol in each different brand and flavor of gum, it is important to identify whether a toxic amount has been ingested.


"Xylitol is estimated to be 100 times as toxic as chocolate to dogs."
Intake of very high doses of xylitol (225mg/lb or 500 mg/kg body weight) has been implicated in liver failure in dogs.


What should I do if my dog eats something containing xylitol?


If you suspect that your pet has eaten a xylitol-containing product, please contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) immediately.


Do not induce vomiting or give anything orally to your dog unless specifically directed to do so by your veterinarian. It is important to get treatment for your dog as quickly as possible. As some dogs may already be hypoglycemic, inducing vomiting can make them worse!


What are the symptoms of xylitol poisoning?


Symptoms of xylitol toxicity develop rapidly, usually within 15-30 minutes of consumption. Signs of hypoglycemia may include any or all of the following:


Vomiting
Weakness
Incoordination or difficulty walking or standing (walking like drunk)
Depression or lethargy
Tremors
Seizures
Coma
In severe cases, the dog may develop seizures or liver failure. Dogs that develop liver failure from xylitol poisoning often show signs of hypoglycaemia.


How is xylitol poisoning diagnosed?


A presumptive diagnosis of xylitol poisoning is made if there is a known or possible history that the dog ate something containing xylitol, coupled with symptoms of hypoglycemia. Since toxicity develops rapidly, your veterinarian will not wait for a confirmed diagnosis before beginning treatment.


Is there an antidote for xylitol toxicity?


No. There is no antidote for xylitol toxicity, although treatment with sugar supplementation, IV fluids, and liver protective drugs are beneficial.


How is xylitol poisoning treated?


Fast and aggressive treatment by your veterinarian is essential to effectively reverse any toxic effects and prevent the development of severe problems.


If your dog has just eaten xylitol but has not yet developed any clinical signs, your veterinarian may induce vomiting to prevent further absorption, depending on what your dog's blood glucose level is. If clinical signs have developed, treatment will be based on the symptoms that are being shown. Since xylitol toxicity can cause both low blood glucose and low potassium levels, your veterinarian will perform blood work to determine whether these problems need to be treated. In all cases, your dog will require hospitalization for blood sugar monitoring, dextrose administration, intravenous fluids, liver protectants, and any other supportive care that may be needed. Blood work should be monitored frequently to make sure that blood sugar and liver function remain normal.


What is the prognosis for recovery from xylitol poisoning?


The prognosis is good for dogs that are treated before symptoms develop, or for dogs that develop uncomplicated hypoglycemia that is reversed rapidly. If liver failure or a bleeding disorder develops, the prognosis is generally poor. If the dog lapses into a coma, the prognosis is very poor.


How can I prevent this problem?


If you personally use products containing xylitol, make sure they are stored safely, out of reach of your pets. Do not share any food that may contain xylitol with your pets. Only use pet toothpaste for pets, never human toothpaste. Keep in mind that there are some veterinary products that contain small amounts of xylitol (e.g., gabapentin medication, mouthwashes). At prescribed doses, these should not result in xylitol poisoning; however, if ingested in large amounts, can potentially result in poisoning.


"If you personally use products containing xylitol,make sure they are stored safely, out of reach of your pets."
The toxicity of xylitol for cats and other species is not documented at this time, although there has been some concern that other non-primate species (e.g., cats, ferrets, etc.) may react to xylitol in a similar manner as dogs.


With any poisoning, prompt decontamination and treatment is always warranted, as it's less dangerous to your pet, and less expensive for you to treat early! Rapid diagnosis and treatment is imperative!
*Pet Poison Helpline, is an animal poison control service available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com. Pet Poison Helpline is not directly affiliated with LifeLearn.
This client information sheet is based on material written by: Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH & Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC, Associate Director of Veterinary Services, Pet Poison Helpline

 

[SirJoseph]

Thanks for posting this...I guess he is OK. Seems every time I turn around there is something else to be to be concerned about. We always are very mindful of leaving things out etc...He retrieved the gum from my daughter's hoodie out of the pocket in the middle of the night. I had no idea about sugarless gum but apparently it is in alot of other things too. Thanks again for posting this, it does make me feel better knowing that he is most likely going to be OK after reading the time frames for something to manifest itself. This occurred thurs night.

 

[buffym]

So glad that Joe is doing ok. I knew about the sugarless gum since I worked for a vet for 10 years, however, it is my understanding that they need to eat more than a piece or two. Sounds like he didn't get enough to do any damage, thank a God!!!