Chewing gum poisoning in dogs – a sweet killer!
What appears to be a harmless piece of gum to us can be life-threatening to our four-legged friends.
The poisonous ingredient in chewing gum is xylitol, a sugar-alcohol sweetener found in sugar-free gums and also other human food products including sugar-free mints, nicotine gum, chewable vitamins and oral-care products.
Xylitol is considered safe in people but in dogs, large amounts can cause huge increases in insulin, causing a sudden drop in blood sugar levels which can send the dog into a hypoglycaemic crisis. Liver failure and blood clotting disorders have also resulted from xylitol ingestion. Toxicity has been reported to occur if a dog ingests around 2.5g per kilogram of body weight. Symptoms may include vomiting, weakness, lethargy, imbalance, collapse or seizures. They may begin as early as 30 minutes after ingestion and can last up to two to three days.
Last year, one lucky dog from the Manawatu had a narrow escape from xylitol toxicity after ingesting an entire packet of chewing gum – wrapper and all! Having witnessed the event, the owner quickly had the dog admitted to the vet, where it was immediately made to vomit up the remaining sticks of gum and wrapper. Over the next hour the dog was closely monitored with blood sugar readings taken every 10 minutes. In this instance, timing was the key as complete absorption had not occurred.
Other less fortunate cases may require intensive care hospitalisation and intravenous fluids. In patients with liver failure, antioxidants and liver protectants may be instituted and plasma or blood transfusions may be required for blood clotting disorders. Uncomplicated hypoglycaemia carries a good prognosis but the prognosis is guarded with liver failure and blood-clotting disorders.
Cats may also be susceptible to xylitol toxicity however it is our mischievous canine friends that more often seem to get themselves into trouble.
Although we love to see our clients and their pets visit us at the clinic, please keep your pets away from sugar-free gum and other xylitol containing products!
