Watch Out for Sugarless Gum!

In December 2011, our dog Casey nearly died from xylitol poisoning.

She ate some sugarless gum the kids had carelessly left in the back of the car. When I saw the chewed-up plastic container only minutes later, I remembered something about how xylitol, an ingredient in sugarless gum, is bad for dogs. I looked it up on my phone and what I saw was alarming, but it was hard to believe a few pieces of gum could really be so bad. I called the vet to see what they thought, and was astonished when they said it was life or death and drive FAST.

We made it to the vet in 25 minutes and they immediately emptied her stomach and got a lot of it that way. But xylitol is a sugar alcohol and absorbs into the bloodstream incredibly fast, so she was already in trouble. She spent 24 hours on an IV receiving glucose and liver support. She recovered, but had to take protective liver medications for two weeks.

This is a 100-lb dog we're talking about. The gum she ate (a kind called "Ice Cubes" by Icebreakers) has enough xylitol to kill her in just a few pieces. I had no IDEA the stuff was that toxic, and it's surprised everyone I've talked to. We will never have any kind of sugarless gum in our house or car again. I've since learned that xylitol, as a relatively new, super-sweet artificial sweetener, is finding its way into all manner of food products -- toothpastes, candies, etc. -- so you have to watch for it, especially if you have a dog who tends to get into stuff.

Our vet bill was over $1,200, so that was one expensive pack of gum. But at least she survived, and I can pass the word along. Maybe it will help someone avoid what we just went through.