As pet owners, we do our best to learn about the dangers that certain foods can pose to our pets. All of us know that chocolate is poisonous to dogs, dairy is actually bad for cats, and avocados are fatal for rabbits – but what about xylitol?
Most of us have probably never heard of xylitol before. But it’s actually very toxic for all animals. Jeni Hargrover Conner and her family didn’t know the dangers of xylitol, and unfortunately, they found out the hard way after it nearly killed their one-year-old dog, Dancer.
Dancer had been going through Jenni’s gym bag when she came across a container of sugar-free gum. Thinking she’d hit the jackpot, the dog ended up consuming 25-30 pieces. Not long after, the family noticed that Dancer became deathly ill, and they rushed her to the vet.
The reason for her becoming so ill? Xylitol. It turns out, that it is an artificial sweetener and one of the main ingredients in gum. And, it’s also quite harmful to dogs to ingest.
Thankfully, Dancer survived her brush with death. Unfortunately, not every dog who consumes xylitol lives to tell the tale. Jeni doesn’t want other families to have to undergo their lesson the hard way, so she chose to spread the word through a video she made about Dancer.
Xylitol isn’t just found in gum, but as an artificial sweetener, it’s actually more prevalent than you’d think. A lot of sugar-free candies will contain xylitol, as well as toothpaste and even some peanut butter!
Watch the video below:
Please view this video on Dancer's story and please share. Help us to get the word out on the dangers of xylitol and dogs. Sharing this may save a life! 🐾❤️ #xylitolawarenessTo continue following Dancer, please like her page Dancer. www.facebook.com/dancerthedog
Posted by Jeni Connor on Sunday, February 21, 2016
And help spread the word about the dangers of xylitol.