FDA Warns Sweetener Xylitol Could be Harmful to Dogs

13 May 2016 --- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued a warning that common sweetener, Xylitol, in chewing gum, mints and other products could kill or severely poison dogs.

The warning comes on the back end of a sudden surge in deaths and severe illnesses from dogs accidentally ingesting the sweetener, xylitol, according to pet poison-control centers. The increase in pet xylitol poisonings was reported last November in The Wall Street Journal.

The FDA warning, titled “Xylitol and Your Dog: Danger, Paws Off,” was issued on Thursday by the agency as a “consumer update.” A prior FDA warning, issued in 2011 by the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, briefly warned of potential illness in dogs and ferrets from eating xylitol.

A type of sugar alcohol, xylitol is an ingredient in many foods but “can have devastating effects on your pet,” the FDA said in the latest alert.

Dogs often eat foods and other items that their owners don’t intend. Ingesting just a few pieces of gum can poison even a large dog, experts say, with effects including low blood sugar, seizures, coma, liver damage and possibly death.

The FDA also called attention to the inclusion of xylitol in some nut butters. Owners often give peanut butter to their pets as a treat to get them to take medication.

“We love that [the FDA warning] contains better, more direct language,” said Dr. Jason Nicholas, a Portland, Ore., veterinarian who runs a website, PreventiveVet.com, which has called for more action on xylitol poisonings.

Dr. Nicholas said he hopes the FDA will require that food packaging include the weight or amount of xylitol per serving, and a clear symbol or text warning of the danger xylitol poses to dogs.

Food makers have said their products are properly labeled and intended for human consumption, and should be kept safely away from pets.

“We hear from pet owners all the time that they had no idea that xylitol was so toxic,” said Dr. Ahna Brutlag, senior veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline. Her center reported 2,900 xylitol-poisoning calls last year, up from 300 in 2009. So far this year, such calls have increased again by 15% over 2015.

Dr. Brutlag also applauded the FDA warning, but said the agency could have listed specific foods that contain xylitol, as well as nonfood items, such as prescription medications, face lotions and nasal spray that dogs potentially could accidentally ingest.

The FDA has also said xylitol toxicity in cats hasn’t been documented, perhaps because cats have a disdain for sweets.