Eliminate xylitol from canine prescriptions

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Veterinarians, pharmacists and pet owners all have a role

DocWPrescription-300Though xylitol is a natural sweetener found in a wide variety of products intended for human use, veterinarians know it can be dangerous – and potentially fatal – to dogs if ingested. While veterinarians have been warning dog owners about xylitol toxicoses for years, it’s important for this knowledge to be shared with pharmacists as well.

Pharmaceutical products are a potential source of xylitol for dogs. For instance, the liquid form of gabapentin contains xylitol, although FDA-approved gabapentin capsules and tablets do not.  A pharmacist also might use products containing xylitol when compounding medications if he or she doesn’t know to avoid using it.

We all play a role in protecting dogs from xylitol.

What can you do to prevent canine exposure to xylitol?

To protect our patients and pets, a united effort is needed among veterinarians, pharmacists, and owners or caretakers. Here are a few steps that can help:

  • Veterinarians: Write on your compounding prescription for dogs something like, “Canine / No xylitol” or “Do not use xylitol-containing products. These are toxic to dogs.”
  • Pharmacists: Do not use xylitol-containing products when compounding for canine patients, and contact the veterinarian if a prescribed product contains xylitol. The veterinarian may be unaware that this sweetener is in the particular product.
  • Owners or caretakers: When you pick up your dog’s medication at a human pharmacy, verify with the pharmacist that the medication does not contain xylitol. (And do not use peanut butter containing xylitol to help your dog take its medication.)

In dogs, xylitol stimulates insulin release that can result in severe, and sometimes deadly, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and causes liver damage that can result in bleeding problems and liver failure.  Canines are the only species in which xylitol is known to be toxic. For more information, see Xylitol and Your Dog on the FDA website.

To establish a good line of communication with pharmacists, veterinarians can reach out to local pharmacies proactively with a collegial request for partnership in filling prescriptions for animal patients. The AVMA offers a sample letter for AVMA members to use to introduce themselves to area pharmacists and open a dialogue.

Comments

Eliminate Xylitol from every canine prescription

No xylito

My teacup chihuahua died from xylitol

My teacup chihuahua died from gabapentin containing xylitol only one company does not use xylitol so the public filling their pets prescriptions are unaware of the danger how many dogs have died and the pet parent is unaware why

Teacup Chihuahua

I’m so very sorry for your loss. 😢💔💔💔. I believe they should remove xylitol from ALL products, human and pet products.

Xylitol

Please eliminate Xylitol from the formulation of canine Gabapentin. The toxicity of Xylitol when ingested by dogs is well documented.

Xylitol in Biotene and Liquid Gabapentin

My 15 year old mini Dachshund suffered from oral infections due to an inoperable fistula in the roof of her mouth. Not knowing that Biotene Oral Rinse contained an ingredient toxic to dogs (Xylitol), and thinking it might be soothing to her, I swabbed her mouth with it one time.

When she later began vomiting voluminous amounts of foamy white sticky stuff I took her to our vet. Even after a complete blood panel showed elevated white cells but normal kidney function, our vet was perplexed and ordered X-rays and a thyroid supplement. At follow-up a day later, I had remembered the Biotene and printed off a list of the ingredients to show her. She immediately identified Xylitol as being toxic to dogs. She then proceeded to give her Ondancetron tablets for nausea while we were at clinic, and LIQUID GABAPENTIN to be given later in the day. Not knowing that Gabapentin in its liquid form also contained the very ingredient that was already poisoning her, our little dog died within a couple of hours of this second ingestion of Xylitol.

Writing this may help someone else to not make the same mistakes that I and our Vet each made while believing we were being helpful and kind.

OMG - I'm so sorry!

I was searching the internet to go deeper into the rabbit hole to better understand (ie, just one time of a small xylitol ingestion - how bad could it impact, etc). and then found this page and subsequently, your post.

THANK YOU for sharing and I'm SO sorry for your loss - especially when it was due to negligence or ignorance and didn't have to happen.

I was recommended Gabapentin for my pet and he's been acting wild since, incoordination and confused and panting and stressed (anxiety - which he usually is chill). Well, hind legs going weak or incoordination is a symptom of Gabapentin, period but Xylitol could be the reason for the other and I'm concerned because that should NOT happen!!! How do vets not IMMEDIATELY know this and make SURE their prescriptions do NOT have that in it! (mine was liquid form - one dose only so far and probably last - but hopefully he gets through this - he's 19 years old!)

Thank you for sharing your story and please do know that you DID help someone (me and many others I'm sure) by sharing :)

Reply

Not all liquid gabapentins contain xylitol. My chihuahua takes gaba every day for pain amd the pharmacy always verifies that it's xylitol free.

Dog suffering from Epilepsy

Does levetiracetam sugar free contain xylitol

Eh

It contains maltitol, which is a sugar alcohol. Internet research is conflicting as to whether this is harmful to dogs. Best check with your vet.

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