Pet Danger: Common Sweetener Deadly To Dogs

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A sweetener in some sugar-free gums is raising concerns with dog owners. It turns out the ingredient, which can also be found in other products, is so toxic that it can kill your beloved pet.

At a popular Coconut Grove dog park, pets are like family. Their parents watch their every move. But pet owners can't watch their pets all the time. And some have no idea that the sweetener called Xylitol can cause poisoning and even death for pets.

Xylitol is safe for humans but for dogs it can be fatal. If you have one of those dogs who eats anything that falls on the floor of the kitchen, it can be a deadly mistake.

Dr. Liz Cepero of the Pet Emergency Room says pet owners should take the warning seriously.

"Low blood sugar, seizures, sometimes it can be vomiting and liver failure if you let it go long enough," she said. "Usually if you get them within four hours you can make them vomit it and it comes up and they don't have any signs."

That's exactly what happened to a dachshund named Coco who ate one stick of sugarless gum and ended up in the ER.

The ASPCA American Poison Control Center reported more than 37-hundred Xylitol related calls in 2014. That's because Xylitol can be found in some types of candy, baked goods, chewable vitamins, peanut butter, and toothpaste. Of course, it's only in some brands. That's why veterinarians say it's so important for pet owners to read labels in case your pet takes a deadly bite.

"It only takes a stick of gum, it's very potent," Dr. Cepero said.

Luckily Coco was okay but it could have been a lot worse.

In case your furry friend ends up ingesting anything with Xylitol but you're not sure, vets say always treat it as a worst case scenario and remember time is of the essence.