Recently the ingredient Xylitol was brought to my attention and immediately I had flash backs to a cat that was seen while I was a vet tech.  The cat, already in the first stages of renal failure, came to the vet due to excessive vomiting and lethargy.  After many tests and much research, it was found that the cat had been using a mouth cleaning product that contained Xylitol.  At first nothing was thought of this until all the pieces were brought together but let me explain Xylitol first.

According to Wikipedia : "Xylitol (from Greek ξύλον - xyl[on], "wood" + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols) is a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute. It is found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.^[2] It can be extracted from corn fiber,^[3] birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy. As with most sugar alcohols, initial consumption can result in bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence, although generally rather less so than other sugar alcohols like sorbitol."

It is used in many dental products as a sweetener due to it's "tooth friendly" nature...in other words it sweetens without harm to teeth.  It has also been found to control yeast in the mouth, increases white blood cell activity helping the fight against bacteria and has even been thought of as a treatment for osteoporosis!  And although there has been very small side effects from regular use in humans, pets are another story.

Most pet products that contain Xylitol are oral rinses that are added to the pet's normal drinking water supply.  This in itself is a danger because of consumer misuse, the inability of pets to monitor their own water consumption and the chance of over-dosing.  Granted, it does take a bit of over-dosing to cause problems in a healthy pet but...

"Dogs that have ingested foods containing high levels of xylitol (greater than 100 milligram of xylitol consumed per kilogram of bodyweight) have presented with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which can be life-threatening. Low blood sugar can result in a loss of coordination, depression, collapse and seizures in as soon as 30 minutes. Intake of very high doses of xylitol (greater than 500 – 1000 mg/kg bwt) has also been implicated in liver failure in dogs, which can be fatal." Wikipedia

Couple that with any pet that isn't in top condition and it is a recipe for disaster.  Let's look at the cat that I mentioned before.

Let me list out all the reasons that we believed that Xylitol was to blame...

1. The cat was vomiting

2. The cat's liver values suddenly elevated - liver damage

3. The cat was in renal failure and for anyone that has a cat in renal failure they know that the pet will drink more

4. The owner was using a oral wash for the cat and placing it in the water - good dental hygiene is essential in pet's with kidney conditions

5. Nothing else seemed to be to blame!

What had occurred was that the owner was following the directions on the oral rinse correctly but what wasn't put into consideration was the cat's voracious appetite for water.  The over consumption of the Xylitol then started to effect the liver and the cat's blood sugar would drop as well.

You wouldn’t let years go by between visits to the dentist for yourself, right? Probably not! Well your pet's dental health is just as important to his or her overall health as your dental health is to your general health. Here are some reasons why it is so important!

Dental Care for Pets?

Dental care of dogs and cats is one of the most commonly overlooked areas of pet health care. In fact, over two-thirds of pet owners do not provide the dental care that is needed. This results in over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will have dental disease by the age of 3 years.

Dental disease doesn’t affect just the mouth. It can lead to more serious health problems including heart, lung and kidney disease, which makes it all the more important that you provide your pets with proper dental care from the start.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Your pet’s bad breath is not something to be ignored or dismissed as “doggie breath” or “kitty breath”. In fact they could be clear sign that there may be a serious concern inside of your pet’s mouth.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth that takes hold in progressive stages. It starts out as a bacterial film called plaque. The bacteria attach to the teeth. When the bacteria die they can be calcified by calcium in saliva. This forms a hard, rough substance called tartar or calculus which allows more plaque to accumulate. Initially, plaque is soft and brushing or chewing hard food and toys can dislodge it. If left to spread, plaque can lead to gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, causing them to become red and swollen and to bleed easily.

This condition allows bacteria not only to enter your pet’s digestive tract and lungs; it enters the blood stream easily and travels to organs throughout the body. The most easily effected being the heart, kidneys and even joints!

As plaque and calculus develop below the gum line, professional cleaning will be needed to help manage it. If the plaque and tartar buildup continues unchecked, infection can form around the root of the tooth.

In the final stages of periodontal disease, the tissues surrounding the tooth are destroyed, the bony socket holding the tooth in erodes and the tooth becomes loose. This is a very painful process for your four-legged friend, but these problems can be averted before they even start.

How is it prevented?