please read if you have a pet

Here's an important warning for pet owners: Some common food products in your house can be very dangerous to your dog. And I think you're going to be very surprised when you find out what they are. The first warning deals with products made with the sugar substitute xylityol; a natural sweetener found in a number of plants. In this country, it's made from corn stalks. Xylitol is used in a variety of sugar-free products, including gum, mints, ice cream, and all sorts of products made for diabetics. If you or I eat too much xylitol, we might get bloating or gas or diarrhea. When dogs eat xylitol, they can get really sick. "The one case I have seen, it was a dog that had eaten one of those nutrition-type bars that had xylitol in it," says Danielle Wassink, one of the vets at Animal Critical Care & Emergency Services in Seattle. She's seen first-hand what xylitol can do. "When a dog ingests it, it causes a bunch of insulin to be released, so it mimics real sugar, " she explains. "Their body releases a bunch of insulin to go use up the sugar which can then cause them to get very, very hypoglycemic, or have a very low blood sugar." This can cause seizures, tremors, weakness, and collapse. It can also cause liver failure. So the results can be fatal. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours for the dog to get sick, and it can be a few days before the liver failure sets in. So, if you ever suspect your critter has gotten into something containing the sweetener xylitol, call your vet right away. The ASPCA Animals Poison Control Center has seen the number of xylitol-related cases increase dramatically the last few years. In 2004, they handled 70 cases. Last year, the problem more than doubled to 170 cases. So far this year, they figure stands at 114 cases. If the current rate continues it will be another record year. Please repost this tomorrow someone, I will be out of town. I think it is so important to remember and some people do not even know. It is hard to resist sharing our food with our pals and sometimes it can be ok, but no one wants to accidently kill or hurt them. I know I have to be extra careful now about leaving any of my SF food out around the house and such.

Thank you so much . I now have a pet dog ... Daisy and she gets into the trash sometimes . Natalie

Thank you so much for the warning. I have 3 large counter thieves, one of whom specializes in opening hermetically sealed foods like protein bars. I will have to make sure they are out of his reach. Lois