If treating a (human) sweetie this year, please be careful of any dangerous plants or chocolates within your pet's reach. In addition to the potential for poisoning (or sick tummies) from sweets, don't allow any access to sugar substitutes either! Of special risk to pets are gums or candies sweetened with the not-so-sweet sugarish alternative known as xylitol. Ingestion of this substance can result in hypoglycemia, which can lead to depression, loss of coordination, and even seizures. As with other pet-proofing precautions, be extra careful of things pets can accidentally sniff or taste and don't underestimate the lengths they'll go to for what appears to be a savory snack! If you suspect your pet has ingested any products containing this substance (or any other risky or questionable substances), please contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA 24-hour emergency poison hotline directly at 1-888-426-4435.
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Sugar Substitutes Still Not Sweet for Pets!
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So true!
1Be careful with those sweets!!!
Thanks for letting us know.
Actually I'm allergic to Xylitol. It makes my tongue get horribly bumpy and painful. It's hard to find a sugarless gum without it.
2good to know. thanks petsugar.
3Oh, that pic of the gum pack brings back memories! Our dog once ate nine packs, from a twelve pack (not pieces, but actual packs) of regular flavored Trident. We were so worried, especially about all of those foil pack wrappers. Our vet said to just keep an eye on her poop & make sure she was expelling all of it. ("Oh, joy" was my thought at the time!)
She never got sick & she did get rid of all of it. My poor husband was the one who had to keep an eye on it. There were little pink pieces, those multi-colored little papers, and of course the pack wrappers, for a few days!
That gum was just one of the many things that she gobbled down. Luckily, she never got sick from any of it. We learned to never assume she couldn't reach something. Everything had to be put into the cupboard.
4Oh, GigglyGirl, that sounds terrible. Poor you! I would be so paranoid.
5Thanks PetSugar, this is one I didn't know about, and my five month old pug puppy loves to get into everything.
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