Xylitol is way deadlier than chocolate, yet awareness of this dog toxin is much lower.
Do you know what xylitol is and how dangerous it is for your dog? The lack of awareness makes this poison even more dangerous. At the same time, more and more products contain this [invisible] artificial sweetener.
Does your dog like peanut butter? Do you know to check the ingredients list? Yes, these days, some peanut butters contain xylitol too.
Dr. Jason Nicholas of the Preventive Vet created a great infographic showing how much more chocolate than xylitol-containing sugar-free gum it takes to likely kill a dog.
It takes only a tiny amount of xylitol to cause life-threatening toxicity.
Xylitol poisoning
Xylitol poisoning cases are on the rise because xylitol is making its way into more and more products. Even fish oil supplements made for people can contain xylitol.
Pretty soon the question isn’t going to be what products contain xylitol, but rather a search for the few that don’t.
I remember my shock when we bought melatonin for Jasmine and found that it also had xylitol in it. Yes, many medications and supplements are now artificially sweetened too.
Why would anybody need their fish oil pill to taste sweet beats me. In the old days, medications tasted horribly. They were supposed to taste horribly. Somehow it added to the feeling that they are really helping. And nobody was taking medication unless they were really sick. What was wrong with that?
We all knew about the chewing gum. At least I hope we all do.
Products containing xylitol
You can find xylitol in toothpaste, breath fresheners, dental floss, mints, mouth sprays, and washes … xylitol also apparently has some plaque-fighting action and it is included even in some pet dental products.
And just when you thought you couldn’t be shocked anymore, you find out that xylitol can also be found in baby wipes, baby diapers, nose & face wipes, mints, sunscreen, chapsticks, and make-up products.
Product groups that now contain xylitol include:
- candies, gum, and mints
- chocolate
- peanut and nut butters
- dental and nasal products
- medications, vitamins, supplements and oils
- honey
- cookies, desserts, mixes, ice cream and yogurt
- jams and syrups
- condiments and sauces
- water and drink powders
- power and protein bars and powders
- cosmetics and hair care
- body and face care
- clothing
- and more
For complete, detailed list, see Which Products Contain Xylitol?
It’s the xylitol apocalypse for our dogs. Read labels on everything. Read them carefully.
Related articles:
Is Xylitol Ingestion an Emergency?
Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs: What Happens In The Dog’s Body with Xylitol Poisoning
Further reading:
Xylitol: The “sugar-free” sweetener your dog NEEDS you to know about
Which Products Contain Xylitol? Here’s a List!
What Kind of Peanut Butter is Safe for Dogs?