# Xylitol Warning!



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

This stuff can kill your dog, not harmful to cats or other animals. It is found in chewing gums and may be in other products also.

Since many of us have dogs and they are such a big part of our familys, I thought I would give everyone a heads up.

Artificial sweetener poses deadly risk to dogs | wkyc.com

Cases of xylitol poisoning in dogs rise - October 1, 2006


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Thank you for the warning! I try to be aware of what is harmful to my dogs but I'd never heard of this before.


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## doug105 (Oct 28, 2005)

Dentists like it.

It can help reduce cavities when gum containing it is chewed.

Doug


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

I don't trust any of those artificial sweeteners, and can't stand the taste of any I've ever tried. Thanks for the heads up.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

yoink said:


> I don't trust any of those artificial sweeteners, and can't stand the taste of any I've ever tried.


Same here, and many of them make me sick (especially NutraSweet), so I'm sure they can have a bigger impact on a dog.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

JanS said:


> many of them make me sick (especially NutraSweet), so I'm sure they can have a bigger impact on a dog.


Ditto. NutraSweet play havoc on my stomach. Cramps galore. Other sweeteners I'm fine with, just don't care for the taste much.

Raw sugar please!


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## Troy McClure (Aug 3, 2005)

Ditto to the above three. I'm leary of all those fake sugars, sugar particles, etc., there's just something about them that seems unhealthy. Let not even get started on aspartame! Give me cane sugar.


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## mrbelvedere138 (Jan 18, 2006)

I like Sweet N' Low for iced tea, but that's as far as it goes. It dissolves much more readily in cold water than sugar ever will.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

I am a Dentist and Xylitol is not an artificial sweetener. It is a naturally occuring sugar. Only side effect for humans is that in mass quantities it is a laxative.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

ianiwane said:


> It is a naturally occuring sugar.


It's derived from birch bark!


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

Kelley said:


> It's derived from birch bark!


Read a little more. Come on, do you think I would post something that pertains to my profession if I didn't know it as fact.

" Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms."

Xylitol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Typically we get cavities from the acids produced by bacteria in our mouth. In laymans terms Xylitol is a non-fermentable sugar, therefore bacteria do not produce acids preventing cavities.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

In regard to it being dangerous to dogs, I'm sure it's like other natural occurring things like cocoa beans being toxic to dogs, or avocado being toxic to birds (at least parrots), so it doesn't necessarily have to be artificial to be toxic.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

JanS said:


> In regard to it being dangerous to dogs, I'm sure it's like other natural occurring things like cocoa beans being toxic to dogs, or avocado being toxic to birds (at least parrots), so it doesn't necessarily have to be artificial to be toxic.


I was just stating this to point out to everyone that it is not artificial. Even the news story has it wrong. But, of course something natural can be harmful. Who is dumb enough to think that?


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

ianiwane said:


> Read a little more. Come on, do you think I would post something that pertains to my profession if I didn't know it as fact.


About Xylitol - Xlear Australia - The Australian Home of Quality Xylitol Products

The thing from *ick* Wikipedia you posted even said it comes from birch. Maybe not the main production but what Kelley said is not incorrect.


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## ianiwane (May 6, 2005)

It is not incorrect but she was trying to make a point that I was wrong about it being natural. And that was wrong.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

ianiwane said:


> But, of course something natural can be harmful. Who is dumb enough to think that?


Well, you wouldn't think too many, but look at the millions who take all of the natural remedies for anything from dieting to menopause thinking they're perfectly safe because they're natural. #-o

I think Kelley was agreeing with you rather than disagreeing when she said it's made of birch bark, which we all know isn't an artificial substance.

At any rate, I didn't know that Xylitol wasn't an artificial sweetener, so I appreciate the insight from both of you.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

And sugar is derived from sugar cane!


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