Diabetes in Pets
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Giving your pet sugar-free products can be harmful[1]. This particular information is about the sugar substitute Xylitol[2][3][4][5], which is used to replace sugar in sugar-free chewing gum, candy and baked goods[6] which are labeled sugar-free. The labels should list the ingredients-reading them is important!

JAVMA News-October 1, 2006-Cases of Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs Rise

In dogs, xylitol can produce hypoglycemia[7] , which can be life-threatening for both diabetics and non-diabetics. The compound in dogs stimulates insulin secretion more than glucose itself. Xylitol has also been proven to stimulate insulin production in humans; it does so much stronger for dogs. It is also possible for xylitol to cause seizures and acute liver failure. This can happen rapidly-sometimes within 30 minutes of ingesting large amounts of xylitol; smaller amounts may not cause symptoms for up to 12 hours.

Previously, it was believed that only large amounts of the substance were harmful[8] .

From JAVMA News:

"Our concern used to be mainly with products that contain xylitol as one of the first ingredients," said Dr. Eric Dunayer, who specializes in toxicology at the center. "However, we have begun to see problems developing from ingestions of products with lesser amounts of this sweetener." Dr. Dunayer said that with smaller concentrations of xylitol, the onset of clinical signs could be delayed as much as 12 hours after ingestion."

Note: when Dr. Dunayer speaks of the first ingredients, food labeling laws require that the main ingredients of products be listed first. A good example would be fruit-flavored drinks: when reading the label, you can see just how little actual fruit juice they contain. Common items like macaroni and cheese must list the main ingredient (macaroni) first; if there was more cheese in the food item than macaroni, it would need to be referred to as cheese and macaroni. Looking at various prepared pasta meals, you see a lot of them labeled spaghetti and meatballs--because there's more spaghetti in the product than meatballs. Packages of meat and gravy have more meat than gravy in them; packages of gravy and meat have more gravy than meat in them.

Some of the products which contain xylitol as an artificial sweetener are shown in the tables below. We will be adding to this list as we research products by brand names containing xylitol.

Health & Beauty Products Containing Xylitol:

Health/Beauty Products Containing Xylitol
Toothpastes[9][10][11]
Tom's of Maine[12], others
Oral rinses[13][14]
Nasal sprays[15]
Oral spray vitamins[16][17]

Food Products Containing Xylitol:

Food Products Containing Xylitol
Sugar-Free Chewing Gum[18][19][20][21][22][23][24]
Trident[25], others
Mints[26][27]
Smint by Chupa Chips[28], others
Jellies & Jams[29][30]
Candy[31]
Baked Goods[32]
Baking Mixes[33]
Sugar substitutes/sweeteners[34][35][36][37]

OTC Medications Containing Xylitol:

OTC Medications/Supplements Containing Xylitol
Nicorette Gum[38]
Nicorette Polacrilex[39]
Use-oral aids to stop smoking OTC
Lactobacillus Reuteri (generic form of Probiotica)[40]
Use-supplement-gastrointestinal balance/digestive health-OTC.
Colostrum Chewables[41]
Use-supplement-growth/muscle/bone joint health-OTC.
Probiotica[42]
Use-supplement-gastrointestinal balance/digestive health-OTC
Flintstones Complete Childrens' Multivitamin/Multimineral Tablets[43]
Use-vitamin and mineral supplement-OTC
Beano Liquid/Drops[44]
Use-prevention of flatulence-OTC
Alpha Galactosidase Enzyme Liquid/Drops (generic form of Beano Liquid/Drops)[45]
Use-prevention of flatulence-OTC
Note:according to Drugs.com/PDR source, only the liquid or drops form of Beano and Alpha Galactosidase Enzyme contains xylitol; it is not listed as an ingredient in the tablet forms.

Prescription Medications Containing Xylitol:

Prescription Medications Containing Xylitol
Mobic Oral Suspension (meloxicam) [46]
Use-Use-Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-Anti-inflammatory (arthritis and similar conditions), analgesic (pain relief), anti-pyretic (reduces fever)-Prescription Required.
Meloxicam Oral Suspension (generic form of Mobic)[47]
Use-Use-Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-Anti-inflammatory (arthritis and similar conditions), analgesic (pain relief), anti-pyretic (reduces fever)-Prescription Required.
Note:acccording to Drugs.com/PDR source above, only the oral suspension form of Mobic or Meloxicam is said to contain xylitol; it is not listed as an ingredient in the tablet form of Mobic or Meloxicam.
Neurotonin Oral Solution (Gabapentin)[48]
Use-pain relief in various forms of herpes-diabetic neuropathy[49]-Prescription Required.
Gabapentin Oral Solution (generic form of Neurotonin)[50]
Use-pain relief in various forms of herpes-diabetic neuropathy[51]-Prescription Required.
Note:acccording to Drugs.com/PDR source above, only the oral solution form of Neurotonin or Gabapentin is said to contain xylitol; it is not listed as an ingredient in the tablet form of Neurotonin or Gabapentin.
Zegrid (brand name for Omeprazole)[52]
Use-gastric/duodenal ulcers-gastric acid reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis-Prescription Required.


Those of you who use compounding pharmacies for medications other than insulin might want to have a word with the pharmacy before having a prescription filled. These pharmacy references from a Google search "compounding xylitol" appear to indicate that in some cases, the use of xylitol is not uncommon[53][54][55].

Further Reading

ASPCA-A Poison-Safe Home

References

  1. ASPCA Poison Control Center-Xylitol-Valentine Treats
  2. Wikipedia-Xylitol
  3. Xylitol.org-What Is Xylitol?
  4. Chemistry.org-Xylitol
  5. Medterms.com-Definition of Xylitol
  6. Sweetlife-Australia-Brownie Mix
  7. InChem-SUMMARY OF TOXICOLOGICAL DATA OF CERTAIN FOOD ADDITIVES-Xylitol
  8. Sweetener Xylitol can be Toxic to Dogs AVMA News-September 1, 2004
  9. Xlear Inc. Spry Toothpaste
  10. Squigle Toothpaste
  11. Epic Toothpaste
  12. Tom's of Maine-What Is Xylitol?
  13. Xlear Inc. Spry Oral Rinse
  14. Xylitolworks.com Epic Oral Rinse
  15. Xlear Inc. Xlear Nasal Wash
  16. Xylitolworks-Oral Vitamins
  17. Xylitolworks.com Micro Spray Oral Vitamins
  18. Xlear Inc.-Gum
  19. Unique Sweet Gum-Various Flavors
  20. Xylitolworks.com Xponent Gum-Various Flavors
  21. Xylitolworks.com B-Fresh Gum
  22. XyliChew Gum-Various Flavors
  23. Bayho Gum-Various Flavors
  24. Breath Rx Halispheres Gum
  25. Trident Gum-FAQ's
  26. Xlear Inc. Spry Mints
  27. Unique Sweet Mints-Various Flavors
  28. Wikipedia-Smint
  29. Xlear Inc. Jams
  30. [http://store.xylitolworks.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=X&Category_Code=XJ Xylitolworks.com Smart Sweet Jams}
  31. Xlear Inc. SparXCandies-Various Flavors
  32. Sweetlife-Australia
  33. Sweetlife-Australia-Brownie Mix
  34. Xlear Inc. Xylosweet Sweeteners
  35. Sweetlife-Australia-Sweeteners
  36. Unique Sweet
  37. Xylitolworks.com Smart Sweet
  38. Nicorette Gum-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  39. Nicorette Polacrilex-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  40. Lactobacillus Reuteri-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  41. Colostrum Chewables
  42. Probiotica-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  43. Flintstones' Vitamins-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  44. Beano Liquid-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  45. Alpha Galactosidase Enzyme Liquid/Drops-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  46. Mobic Oral Suspension-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  47. Meloxicam-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  48. Neurotonin/Gabapentin-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  49. BD Diabetes-FAQ's About Diabetes in Cats-Dr. Greco
  50. Neurotonin/Gabapentin-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  51. BD Diabetes-FAQ's About Diabetes in Cats-Dr. Greco
  52. Zegrid-Omeprazole-Drugs.com-Physicians' Desk Reference
  53. Enzymestuff.com-Xylitol Flavorint Syrup
  54. MartinAvenuePharmacy.com-Xylitol
  55. Acology Prescription Compounding-FlavorSweet-Xylitol
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