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One of the most popular sweetener nowadays is xylitol, which is actually a natural product made from corncobs but it is very poisonous for your pet. Xylitol is most often found in sugarless gums, candy, and drinks. It is also found in the oddest items such as toothpaste, nasal spray, and even Metamucil!

Once ingested, the xylitol stimulates the dog/cat’s pancreas to increase insulin secretion, which then can cause low blood levels within minutes. This physiological change results in sudden weakness or seizures. If a large amount is ingested, the animal could suffer acute liver failure. It is not 100% fatal as is sometimes reported, but if you suspect your pet has ingested anything like xylitol, get him/her to your vet right away.

The way animals, especially cats, metabolize drugs and toxins are completely different from humans. They lack some of the liver enzymes and processes common to human livers to detoxify some toxins. Things that are completely safe and harmless to humans can be fatal to our fury friends. Unless you look at every ingredient on the label and understand all the chemical names, you just won’t know what is harmful to your pet.

Tylenol is the # 1 cause of liver failure in people? Consider cats though. If a cat were to be given or ingest just one Tylenol pill, he would most likely to be dead in the morning. The acetaminophen poisons the cat’s red blood cells so they can’t carry enough oxygen – basically the cat suffocates in the presence of oxygen.

Ibuprofen also can cause liver problems in large doses but more commonly causes stomach ulcers, similar to aspirin. I know “So and so” said “aspirin can be given to dogs for pain and if you really want to be safe, just use the enteric coats tablets”. Guess what? You have just made your dog’s poop look like M&M cookie dough. The dog’s intestinal tract moves quicker than humans and the enteric coated tablets come out whole – not exactly what you had in mind I’m sure. On the other hand, uncoated aspirin is the easiest way to cause stomach ulcers in dogs. Never add aspirin to any medication your vet prescribes, as this can just enhance this problem.

We all know how prevalent antidepressants have become in modern life and that’s true for our pets as well as for us humans. Unfortunately, antidepressants are becoming one of our most frequently seen toxicities in pets.
Most antidepressants are what are called serotonin uptake inhibitors. They increase the level of serotonin in our brains. Serotonin is one of the “happy hormones”, influencing our sense of well-being; however, too much of a good thing can be bad.
When animals ingest these pills they can become over-stimulated and have what is called a serotonin surge. Not a happy time. The good news is your veterinarian has an antidote called cyproheptidine that brings everything back to normal but still; this is not something you ever want to go though. Be careful where you leave your medications and those of your pet.

After years and years of legal battles fought by the nation’s humane and veterinary organizations, the makers of antifreeze in the US have been convinced to make their product bitter tasting. Antifreeze is a sweet smelling and tasting liquid that dogs, cats and even children like to drink. As little as a teaspoon spilled on the garage floor can kill a dog or cat from acute kidney failure. The bitter additive, which has been used by the rest of the world for years, makes it much less likely our pets will want to lick it. Thank goodness for that!