It’s the summer. It’s hot, and everyone just wants to try and stay cool, even animals.
That’s why when Melissa Kriz was out with her dog Monte, in the San Francisco Bay Area this past June, she thought she’d treat him to something sweet.
Melissa purchased her 18-month-old mini golden doodle ice cream.
“They had skinny vanilla, and I thought ‘ok well dogs aren’t supposed to have a lot of sugar so maybe that’s what I should get,'” she told NBC Bay Area.
But after Monte lapped up the ice cream, Melissa checked the ingredients. That’s when she realized the “skinny” ice cream was made with xylitol, an artificial sweetener.
While not all artificial sweeteners are poisonous to dogs, xylitol can cause hypoglycemic shock and liver failure.
Melissa immediately contacted Monte’s vet. Thankfully the mini golden doodle did not suffer any adverse effects, but he was monitored for liver failure for three days.
She gave her dog ice cream, and it ended up in the animal ICU. Now she, and the FDA are issuing a warning about giving dogs ‘human food’ with the ingredient Xylitol…story at 11 on @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/XguLQtb8qz
— Ian Cull (@NBCian) July 11, 2019
“I thought I was being a good mom and giving him a sweet summer treat and turns out it was toxic,” Melissa said.
Recently she contacted the FDA about xylitol, which is sometimes found in ice cream, toothpaste, and peanut butter. They issued a warning about the dangers of dogs consuming the artificial sweetener.
“When dogs eat something containing xylitol, the xylitol is more quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, and may result in a potent release of insulin from the pancreas.”
The regulatory agency noted that cat and ferret owners should also pay close attention to their pets, but cats seemed to be spared due to their aversion to sweets. Ferrets, on the other hand, can experience bad side effects.
Monte has since recovered, and Melissa hopes that others will be able to learn from her mistake.
Did you know how dangerous xylitol is for dogs?
Share this post on Facebook to warn fellow dog owners. The danger isn’t just during the summer, it’s year-round!
