PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Dog collapsed with seizures after eating xylitol gum causing low

By Dunayer, Eric K·Published in Veterinary and human toxicology·2004·ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, United States·View original on PubMed

PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →

Original publication title: Hypoglycemia following canine ingestion of xylitol-containing gum.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 9-month-old neutered male Labrador Retriever collapsed and had seizures after eating a large amount of sugar-free gum containing xylitol, a sweetener that can be toxic to dogs. The dog was treated with intravenous dextrose, which quickly improved his condition, although he remained mildly hypoglycemic for about 11 hours before fully recovering. This case highlights the dangers of xylitol, which can cause severe drops in blood sugar levels in dogs. Pet owners should be cautious about keeping xylitol-containing products away from their pets.

People also search for: dog seizures after eating gum · xylitol poisoning in dogs · hypoglycemia treatment for dogs

Abstract

A 9-mo-old neutered male Labrador Retriever developed severe hypoglycemia, collapse, and seizures after consuming a large quantity of sugar-free gum sweetened with the sugar-alcohol xylitol. The dog was treated with i.v. boluses and continuous infusion of dextrose; its condition improved rapidly, but the dog remained mildly hypoglycemic for 11 hours before recovering fully. In humans, xylitol has little to no effect on plasma insulin or glucose levels, but in dogs xylitol is a strong promoter of insulin release and can cause severe hypoglycemia with ataxia, collapse and seizures. With the increased appearance of xylitol-sweetened products in the US, xylitol toxicosis in dogs may become more common.

Find similar cases for your pet

PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.

Search related cases →

Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15080212/