WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

There's a product in the marketplace and maybe in some of our homes that is very deadly for our cats and dogs. It's XYLITOL and it's appearing in more and more commonly used products. It's a sugar-alcohol derived sweetener and many pet owners are still unaware of the danger.

In humans the sweetener is safe but just a small amount of xylitol can cause a dangerous insulin surge and a rapid drop in blood sugar in dogs. A single piece of gum or one mint containing xylitol can cause hypoglycemia in a ten pound dog. This graphic from The Preventive Vet page shows how little it takes to poison a dog.

Lately, some companies are adding zylitol to peanut butters, a favorite of dogs and dog owners. I find myself reading manufacturers labels more than ever before and even checking the ingredients listed on products we've used before. I spotted zylitol listed on a couple things I'd been buying for years and have now cut them from our household use. I prefer not to even have a product containing zylitol in the house. I'm also asking questions about and examining gifts my dogs receive from friends. We can't be too careful with the health and lives of our pets.

Dr Jason Nicholas of Portland, Oregon is trying to make everyone aware of the dangers of zylitol and has compiled a list of products containing the sweetener. Some of these will surprise you. Here is the list, but be sure to check labels because more companies are starting all the time.

 http://www.preventivevet.com/xylitol-products-toxic-for-dogs

 You'll see that there are non food items on the list, too and with the holidays approaching some of these may be coming into your home. Be aware of what products could contain this deadly product and stay safe.