Trick, treat, or poison.
Hi! I’m Karen Delaney. I have been working at Founders part time for 2 years while attending college. I really enjoy helping your pets, while receiving free on the job training on pet health care. Today I want to share important information that could prevent a tragedy in your family…
Costumes and candies are the highlights of Halloween, but there is also real danger lurking in that bag of candy! Many pet owners are unaware that candy, gum, breath mints, and baked desserts sweetened with Xylitol, could turn a fun and spooky celebration into a pet funeral. Everyone knows to keep a box of chocolates out of dog nose reach — but it takes a much smaller amount of Xyltiol to poison your dog. It is harmless to people and is even finding its way into toothpaste.
Dr. Terifaj published an in depth article on the dangers of Xylitol several months ago on her blog, Dog-Breath. Here is what one grateful reader left as a comment:
Thank you for putting warnings like this out there. My mom sent me an article several months ago, which I somehow remembered last night after my dog ate 1/2 pack of Stride gym containing Xylitol. Her possible ratio was 2 grams xylitol/kilo, which is lethal. If it weren’t for that article, I would have had no idea of the potential damage/death, and would have done nothing until it would have been too late. As it is, we rushed her to the vet right away, and I just got the call from my vet that after an overnight stay and aggressive treatment that my dog, Roxy, is going to be ok, and that liver is undamaged.
Your article has saved at least one life. Thank you so much. I will be forwarding this article to everyone on my email list.
I hope you, too, will forward this timely warning to your friends and family.
All of us at Founders wish you a haunted weekend of fun and most importantly, safety!
#1 by Brad Barker on October 29, 2009 - 3:31 pm
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Dr. Terifaj,
I saw one of your blogs that Sago Palms are toxic to dogs. You treat my dog Reeses Barker (Adult Female Dobermin). Should I remove it from my back yard? She has not chewed on it so far…Thanks
#2 by Paula Terifaj DVM on October 30, 2009 - 6:18 am
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My dogs have lived in harmony with sago palms for years – but they are NOT plant eaters. If you’ve got a plant eating dog or just a voracious chewer– better the sago goes than your dog! There are a total of 17 common house and yard plants that can result in sickness or death if ingested by your dog or cat! They are listed on the link below…
Since 2003, the ASPCA has seen an increase by more than 200 percent of sago palm and cycad poisonings! 50 to 75 percent of those ingestions resulted in fatalities. According to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, veterinary toxicologist and vice president of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, all parts of the plant are toxic, but the seeds or nuts carry the highest amount of the toxin. Common signs of ingestion include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, depression, seizures and liver failure.