Keep the sugar-free snacks away from your dog!

  Posted on September 15, 2009  by Joy of Living  No comments

Bo and Jessie here!  We have a serious article to share with all of you about the treats you might feed your dogs and how they can be harmful, if not deadly, to your furry friends.

Most everyone knows that chocolate is not good for dogs, but we will let our humans indulge to their hearts’ content!  Now on the scene of deadly ingredients for dogs is xylitol, a common sweetener found in sugarless gum and other sugar-free snacks.  This chemical is safe for our humans to consume, but when a dog ingests it, his or her blood sugar levels drop significantly.  This creates a situation where the brain cannot get enough energy to do its job.  (And Jessie needs to be alert enough to come up with a daily dose of insults for Bo!)  Upon consuming xylitol, dogs may vomit or become lethargic and disoriented.  (According to Bo, Jessie seems to act this way all the time!)  When the blood sugar levels drop dangerously low, this can lead to seizures.  Left untreated, dogs can die.

If you know or suspect your canine has gotten into some xylitol, get him or her to the vet within 30 minutes to an hour.  The vet can administer treatment to elevate the blood sugars back up to a stable level.

Stay safe!  Keep the sugar-free stuff away from your pooches!