The Dangers of Xylitol

It was every dog owner's worst nightmare.

I was sitting in an exam room at Pacific Veterinary Specialists in Soquel, Ca. listening to Dr. Brady tell me my beloved Pug, Harley, might be dead before the weekend was out.

With days to go until Christmas, my mind was preoccupied with decorating and gift-purchasing. I was looking forward to dressing my dogs up in their newly-bought Christmas outfits and sending out my yearly Christmas photo.

And now I faced the possibilty that Harley might not be in the picture - literally. It ripped me in half. I spent the next 2 days praying and crying, doing my best to carry on with daily life. I visited her in ICU as often as I was allowed (twice a day), taking pictures of her with my phone at the end of each visit, wondering if they would be the last images I would have of her alive. I now look at those images with relief and gratitude. They were not her last. Unfortunately, not all dogs and dog owners can say the same.

Mints to Die For

The night before that fateful day in the ICU, my boyfriend and I had gone to see a movie and left our dogs in the car. It was at that time I believe Harley got into the armrest/console between the front seats and found breath mints that had spilled to the bottom. The mints, no larger than the head of a pencil eraser, contained xylitol, an artificial sweetener. I had no idea the chemical was toxic to dogs or I would never had kept the mints in the first place.

I estimate she only ate 3-5 of the tiny mints (I later went through and collected all the spilled mints and found the container was still mostly full, so she couldn't have consumed very many). Oddly, it would be several hours before she exhibited any sign of illness. Contrary to many internet reports on xylitol toxicity, dogs will not necessarily display violently ill symptoms right away - sometimes it takes 12-24 hours, and at that point it may be too late. In Harley's case, she likely consumed the mints around 8pm and began vomiting (or at least attempting to) at 3am that night.

That morning she was listless and lethargic, unwilling to take herself out to potty and uninterested in breakfast. This last sign was a huge red flag for me, as Harley always has a voracious appetite. I made an appointment with the vet for that afternoon thinking perhaps she had a mild case of food poisoning and would need antibiotics. But by noon it was clear something was terribly wrong: she could not control her bowel movements, she refused to walk, and her stools contained blood.

Opting not to wait for our appointment, I rushed her to my vet, Los Gatos Dog & Cat Hospital, where Dr. Ravina administered an IV catheter, took a blood sample, and eventually advised that Harley be taken to an acute care clinic immediately. I would later learn Dr. Ravina was so concerned about Harley's condition, she doubted her ability to find a suitable vein for the IV - her blood pressure was that low.

I want to emphasize that, in retrospect, I can see how her symptoms progressively worsened and am now aware of the grave danger she faced. But at the time, her condition was not so clear. While I am definitely NOT one to put off a vet visit if something about any of my pets concerns me, it seemed sensible to wait a few hours and take Harley to her regular vet. The fact that she was alert and mobile for most of the morning belied the fact that she was indeed near death.

If I have learned anything from this experience it is that a dog near death does not necessarily behave as I believed it would. The urgency of her situation did not become apparent for several hours - she seem sick, yes, but not deathly so. And so I now urge dog owners to act swiftly in seeking medical attention for their pets, even if the condition does not seem serious. Had I waited even another hour, Harley could easily be dead.

In Dr. Brady's Hands

At PVS, Harley's system was bombarded with every possible treatment modern medicine could provide. Dr. Brady's approach was to pull out all stops and try everything possible - and I heartily agreed. Harley underwent blood transfusions and other aggressive treatments to support her liver as it dealt with this deadly chemical. Hopefully something (or everything) would work.

Initially, I had no idea what caused this episode. A mushroom, perhaps? We had taken the dogs to a local Christmas tree farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains the day prior. Could she have eaten one despite my watchful eye? I had made sure to comb the area for anything dangerous, and Harley had only been out long enough to potty. Still.....

It was not until Dr. Brady asked about chewing gums or breath mints that I remembered the spilled mints in my car. I had been fumbling for them one day while I was driving and had neglected to seal the container completely when I returned the mints to the console. They had spilled, and I had counted it a loss and figured I'd clean it up some other day.

Xylitol, Dr. Brady explained, was quickly becoming a menace to canines everywhere. She specialized in toxicology and was seeing more and more dogs suffering and dying because they had managed to eat chewing gum or mints kept in their owners' purses, pockets, and <gulp> cars. At that moment, my boyfriend revealed he had found my armrest open when we had returned to the car, but had closed it and thought nothing of it. I had been busy checking on the dogs in the backseat and hadn't noticed.

And so, we concluded, it had to be the breath mints. This didn't change Harley's treatment regimen, though - mushrooms or xylitol, we just had to wait and pray.

Homecoming

Harley ended up staying at PVS for two arduous days. That first night was crucial - would she respond to the blood plasma transfusions? Would she survive the night? Thankfully, she did. And that day, and the night after that. Her grasp on life seemed tenuous; no one was willing to give me an encouraging affirmation that she was safe - yet. I suppose they had seen many dogs survive the first day only to succumb the next.

Still, I prayed and called on all my dog-loving friends and acquaintances to pray. And pray they did. By Monday, I received a phone call from Dr. Brady that Harley was ready to go home. Go home? I asked. Wasn't this a bit soon? We had discussed that if Harley did manage to survive, she likely would not be strong enough to go home until Tuesday or Wednesday. But no, Dr. Brady assured me Harley was eating and wagging her tail and jumping up in her cage. (Did I detect a bit of astonishment in her voice?) She seemed practically normal.

I couldn't believe the Pug I picked up from acute care was the same, sick little thing from two days ago. She sat in my lap and wiggled her whole body against mine, obviously elated to be back with mom. She jumped up to my face and licked off my tears of happiness. Gone was the lethargic, gray appearance. This Pug was full of life!

Our ride home was pure bliss.

Today

I'm happy to report that despite Harley's acute liver distress and near-death experience, her liver is 100% back to normal - she suffered no permanent liver damage. Thank you, God! At the peak of her toxicity, Harley's liver values were around 7,500 (normal is in the hundreds) - it's truly a miracle she survived. Of course, she's back to ruling the household as Queen Pug and bossing her siblings, Chubby and Miso, around. Can't keep a good Pug down!

I will forever be grateful to Drs. Ravina and Brady for their decisions and expertise in saving Harley. My utmost gratitude to the staff at LGDC and PVS for their care and support as well. Also a big thank you to Linda Goldston of The San Jose Mercury News who first featured Harley's story, as well as the folks at Silicon Valley Tails Magazine who will be running her story this April 2008.

Harley's story has also been noted on the Lassie Get Help! blog and Owned by Pugs website. And thank you to The San Jose Pug Meetup Group and The South Bay French Bulldog Meetup Group for your prayers and support!

Products Containing Xylitol

I will be maintaining a list of products that contain xylitol. It is my advice that you do not keep any products containing xylitol in your home, period. Is there a product that should be added to this list? Email me.

Biotene Mouthwash
Breath Rx
TheraBreath toothpaste & mouthwash
Tom's of Maine products
Mint Asure FreshBreath capsules
Orbit gum
Smint "xylicare"
Trident gum
Stride gum
Ice Breakers Ice Cubes

Spread the word about the dangers of xylitol! Email this article to a friend or post it on your website.



The Dangers of Xylitol It was every dog owner's worst nightmare. I was sitting in an exam room at Pacific Veterinary Specialists in Soquel, Ca. listening to Dr. Brady tell me my beloved Pug, Harley, might be dead before the weekend was out. With days to go until Christmas, my mind was preoccupied with decorating and gift-purchasing. I was looking forward to dressing my dogs up in their newly-bought Christmas outfits and sending out my yearly Christmas photo. And now I faced the possibilty that Harley might not be in the picture - literally. It ripped me in half. I spent the next 2 days praying and crying, doing my best to carry on with daily life. I visited her in ICU as often as I was allowed (twice a day), taking pictures of her with my phone at the end of each visit, wondering if they would be the last images I would have of her alive. I now look at those images with relief and gratitude. They were not her last. Unfortunately, not all dogs and dog owners can say the same. Mints to Die For The night before that fateful day in the ICU, my boyfriend and I had gone to see a movie and left our dogs in the car. It was at that time I believe Harley got into the armrest/console between the front seats and found breath mints that had spilled to the bottom. The mints, no larger than the head of a pencil eraser, contained xylitol, an artificial sweetener. I had no idea the chemical was toxic to dogs or I would never had kept the mints in the first place. I estimate she only ate 3-5 of the tiny mints (I later went through and collected all the spilled mints and found the container was still mostly full, so she couldn't have consumed very many). Oddly, it would be several hours before she exhibited any sign of illness. *Contrary to many internet reports on xylitol toxicity, dogs will not necessarily display violently ill symptoms right away - sometimes it takes 12-24 hours, and at that point it may be too late.* In Harley's case, she likely consumed the mints around 8pm and began vomiting (or at least attempting to) at 3am that night. That morning she was listless and lethargic, unwilling to take herself out to potty and uninterested in breakfast. This last sign was a huge red flag for me, as Harley always has a voracious appetite. I made an appointment with the vet for that afternoon thinking perhaps she had a mild case of food poisoning and would need antibiotics. But by noon it was clear something was terribly wrong: she could not control her bowel movements, she refused to walk, and her stools contained blood. Opting not to wait for our appointment, I rushed her to my vet, Los Gatos Dog & Cat Hospital, where Dr. Ravina administered an IV catheter, took a blood sample, and eventually advised that Harley be taken to an acute care clinic immediately. I would later learn Dr. Ravina was so concerned about Harley's condition, she doubted her ability to find a suitable vein for the IV - her blood pressure was that low. I want to emphasize that, in retrospect, I can see how her symptoms progressively worsened and am now aware of the grave danger she faced. But at the time, her condition was not so clear. While I am definitely NOT one to put off a vet visit if something about any of my pets concerns me, it seemed sensible to wait a few hours and take Harley to her regular vet. The fact that she was alert and mobile for most of the morning belied the fact that she was indeed near death. *If I have learned anything from this experience it is that a dog near death does not necessarily behave as I believed it would.* The urgency of her situation did not become apparent for several hours - she seem sick, yes, but not deathly so. And so I now urge dog owners to act swiftly in seeking medical attention for their pets, even if the condition does not seem serious. Had I waited even another hour, Harley could easily be dead. In Dr. Brady's Hands At PVS, Harley's system was bombarded with every possible treatment modern medicine could provide. Dr. Brady's approach was to pull out all stops and try everything possible - and I heartily agreed. Harley underwent blood transfusions and other aggressive treatments to support her liver as it dealt with this deadly chemical. Hopefully something (or everything) would work. Initially, I had no idea what caused this episode. A mushroom, perhaps? We had taken the dogs to a local Christmas tree farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains the day prior. Could she have eaten one despite my watchful eye? I had made sure to comb the area for anything dangerous, and Harley had only been out long enough to potty. Still..... It was not until Dr. Brady asked about chewing gums or breath mints that I remembered the spilled mints in my car. I had been fumbling for them one day while I was driving and had neglected to seal the container completely when I returned the mints to the console. They had spilled, and I had counted it a loss and figured I'd clean it up some other day. Xylitol, Dr. Brady explained, was quickly becoming a menace to canines everywhere. She specialized in toxicology and was seeing more and more dogs suffering and dying because they had managed to eat chewing gum or mints kept in their owners' purses, pockets, and <gulp> cars. At that moment, my boyfriend revealed he had found my armrest open when we had returned to the car, but had closed it and thought nothing of it. I had been busy checking on the dogs in the backseat and hadn't noticed. And so, we concluded, it had to be the breath mints. This didn't change Harley's treatment regimen, though - mushrooms or xylitol, we just had to wait and pray. Homecoming Harley ended up staying at PVS for two arduous days. That first night was crucial - would she respond to the blood plasma transfusions? Would she survive the night? Thankfully, she did. And that day, and the night after that. Her grasp on life seemed tenuous; no one was willing to give me an encouraging affirmation that she was safe - yet. I suppose they had seen many dogs survive the first day only to succumb the next. Still, I prayed and called on all my dog-loving friends and acquaintances to pray. And pray they did. By Monday, I received a phone call from Dr. Brady that Harley was ready to go home. Go home? I asked. Wasn't this a bit soon? We had discussed that if Harley did manage to survive, she likely would not be strong enough to go home until Tuesday or Wednesday. But no, Dr. Brady assured me Harley was eating and wagging her tail and jumping up in her cage. (Did I detect a bit of astonishment in her voice?) She seemed practically normal. I couldn't believe the Pug I picked up from acute care was the same, sick little thing from two days ago. She sat in my lap and wiggled her whole body against mine, obviously elated to be back with mom. She jumped up to my face and licked off my tears of happiness. Gone was the lethargic, gray appearance. This Pug was full of life! Our ride home was pure bliss. Today I'm happy to report that despite Harley's acute liver distress and near-death experience, her liver is 100% back to normal - she suffered no permanent liver damage. Thank you, God! At the peak of her toxicity, Harley's liver values were around 7,500 (normal is in the hundreds) - it's truly a miracle she survived. Of course, she's back to ruling the household as Queen Pug and bossing her siblings, Chubby and Miso, around. Can't keep a good Pug down! I will forever be grateful to Drs. Ravina and Brady for their decisions and expertise in saving Harley. My utmost gratitude to the staff at LGDC and PVS for their care and support as well. Also a big thank you to Linda Goldston of The San Jose Mercury News who first featured Harley's story, as well as the folks at Silicon Valley Tails Magazine who will be running her story this April 2008. Harley's story has also been noted on the Lassie Get Help! blog and Owned by Pugs website. And thank you to The San Jose Pug Meetup Group and The South Bay French Bulldog Meetup Group for your prayers and support! Products Containing Xylitol I will be maintaining a list of products that contain xylitol. It is my advice that you do not keep any products containing xylitol in your home, period. Is there a product that should be added to this list? Email me. Biotene Mouthwash Breath Rx TheraBreath toothpaste & mouthwash Tom's of Maine products Mint Asure FreshBreath capsules Orbit gum Smint "xylicare" Trident gum Stride gum Ice Breakers Ice Cubes Spread the word about the dangers of xylitol! Email this article to a friend or post it on your website. © Stephanie Lam \| All Rights Reserved.