Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Thanks to Bob Scott, I now know that "birch sugar" is Xylitol.
I know that we all know how toxic Xylitol is for dogs, and that it's in many products (gum, mints, medicine coatings, etc., etc.), and that we are very careful to keep all such products inaccessible to dogs (not, for example, in a purse on the floor). To find out that some manufacturers are using this relatively unknown term is disheartening.
I knew about the dangers of xylitol but not that it also goes by the name birch sugar. Thanks for that info! I guess it's just another reminder that we have to educate ourselves and always be vigilant about checking product labels and making sure we understand what all of those ingredients are, for both our dogs and ourselves.
Tresa Hendrix Webboard User Reg: 05-08-2008
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Loc: Alaska
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They should all put a warning label on anything containing sugar alcohols. I may be wrong but I think all the sugar alcohols are toxic to dogs, sorbitol, erythritol etc.
A tired dog is a good dog, a trained dog is a better dog.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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I agree with you about warnings, Tresa.
Even though some of the sugar alcohols are considered non-toxic to dogs, they can all trigger excessive proliferation of "bad" gut bacteria, which, in turn, besides their direct ability to cause bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea, and pain, can depress the development and growth of good gut bacteria.
Xylitol, of course, is very toxic to dogs.
We may have seen this article before, but it's so important that it won't hurt to repost it. The whole thing is informative, but two big new points for me were that foods, snacks, and treats meant for diabetics may well fall into the unsafe category of items that need to be kept in a dog-safe (high or locked) place, and that the effects of xylitol on a dog are very rapid -- maybe ten to sixty minutes.
The best way to prevent your dog from an accidental poisoning is to not buy products that contain xylitol, so they just are never in your car or house.
But if you do have mints, toothpaste, cookies, or anything else in your home that contains xylitol, you must manage its presence in your possession like you would a loaded gun in a house full of toddlers. Keep any item – including toothpaste! – in a closed cabinet where the dog cannot possibly reach, never just on a kitchen or bathroom counter that a dog might be able to jump up and reach. If your dog is not a “counter surfer,” you may tend to be casual about items like toothpaste in the bathroom or mints on the coffee table. But a guest’s dog may be different – and all counter-surfers start somewhere, with some food item. You’d hate for your dog’s first foray into helping himself to some xylitol-containing food or supplement to be his very last meal ever."
P.S. Don't forget pockets and purses (gum, mints, etc.).
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"Birch sugar" is Xylitol
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