Xylitol — an ingredient in the gum that’s also commonly found in baked goods, toothpaste and vitamins — caused severe liver damage in Luna, and the dog was put down.
Luna isn’t the first dog to die from ingesting xylitol. As the natural sweetener as grown in popularity, veterinarians have reported more cases of poisonings.
In addition to being found in food items and dental products, xylitol can also be purchased for baking. It’s safe for human consumption, but even small amounts of the substance can cause low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure or death in dogs.
While many dog owners know to keep chocolate out of their canine companions’ reach, dangerous ingredients like xylitol are lesser known.
That’s why artist Lili Chin — after catching her boyfriend trying to feed grapes to her dog — collaborated with a veterinarian to design the poster below.
The poster outlines some of the most dangerous people foods for dogs, including walnuts, avocados and mushrooms. It doesn’t contain information about how much of each food is toxic to a dog because it can differ from animal to animal.
“Toxicity is not always linear,” writes Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, who helped Chin with the poster. “Sometimes a dog eats a bag of grapes and is fine and other times a dog eats one bite of pork fried rice and dies of pancreatitis. Sometimes only portions of a fruit are toxic and other parts are fine. Sometimes there are at least three variables that must be calculated before you know if a food was ingested at a toxic amount.”
Dogs that have eaten something toxic may exhibit any of the following symptoms:
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Lack of appetite
Lethargy
Painful abdomen
Seizures
Coma
If you suspect your dog has ingested something toxic, see your veterinarian immediately.
