The most common food item that xylitol can be found in is sugar free-gum, when can be tempting to dogs if not kept out of reach. Xylitol can also be found in sugar-free candies, baked goods, some pharmaceuticals and dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. Xylitol can also be found in peanut butter, a common treat fed to dogs. Owners should read labels carefully before feeding their pets any foods meant for human consumption. Be sure to keep these foods out of reach of your pets and only use pet toothpaste to brush your dog’s teeth.
According to Dr. Jason Nicholas, an online petition this week was sent to some nut butter manufacturers with one manufacturer agreeing to add a new “not for pets” warning to their nut and nut butter product labels which contain xylitol. Dr. Nicholas expects that new labels will start showing up on store shelves and on product websites in the near future.
A separate petition sent by Dr. Nicholas to the FDA is requesting that the government agency mandate product labelling actions if the manufacturers are not going to do so voluntarily. In the petition, Dr. Nicholas recalled the 2011 FDA consumer warning about xylitol and commended the agency for this action. However; because xylitol is more commonly used in food products in recent years there has been a 210% increase in cases of xylitol toxicity. According to Dr. Nicholas there are an average of over ten dogs suffering from xylitol toxicity each day.
Sources: Food Safety News, vetmedicine.about.com