Biomaterial Database

Hypoglycemia following canine ingestion of xylitol-containing gum. 2004

Eric K Dunayer

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, 1717 S Philo Rd, Suite 36, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.

A 9-mo-old neutered male Labrador Retriever developed severe hypoglycemia, collapse, and seizures after consuming a large quantity of sugar-free gum sweetened with the sugar-alcohol xylitol. The dog was treated with i.v. boluses and continuous infusion of dextrose; its condition improved rapidly, but the dog remained mildly hypoglycemic for 11 hours before recovering fully. In humans, xylitol has little to no effect on plasma insulin or glucose levels, but in dogs xylitol is a strong promoter of insulin release and can cause severe hypoglycemia with ataxia, collapse and seizures. With the increased appearance of xylitol-sweetened products in the US, xylitol toxicosis in dogs may become more common.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007003	Hypoglycemia	A syndrome of abnormally low BLOOD GLUCOSE level. Clinical hypoglycemia has diverse etiologies. Severe hypoglycemia eventually lead to glucose deprivation of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM resulting in HUNGER; SWEATING; PARESTHESIA; impaired mental function; SEIZURES; COMA; and even DEATH.	Fasting Hypoglycemia,Postabsorptive Hypoglycemia,Postprandial Hypoglycemia,Reactive Hypoglycemia,Hypoglycemia, Fasting,Hypoglycemia, Postabsorptive,Hypoglycemia, Postprandial,Hypoglycemia, Reactive
D008297	Male		Males
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D004283	Dog Diseases	Diseases of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). This term does not include diseases of wild dogs, WOLVES; FOXES; and other Canidae for which the heading CARNIVORA is used.	Canine Diseases,Canine Disease,Disease, Canine,Disease, Dog,Diseases, Canine,Diseases, Dog,Dog Disease
D004285	Dogs	The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065)	Canis familiaris,Dog
D005881	Gingiva	Oral tissue surrounding and attached to TEETH.	Gums,Interdental Papilla,Papilla, Interdental,Gum
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013549	Sweetening Agents	Substances that sweeten food, beverages, medications, etc., such as sugar, saccharine or other low-calorie synthetic products. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Artificial Sweeteners,Sugar Substitutes,Sweeteners,Agent, Sweetening,Agents, Sweetening,Artificial Sweetener,Substitute, Sugar,Substitutes, Sugar,Sugar Substitute,Sweetener,Sweetener, Artificial,Sweeteners, Artificial,Sweetening Agent
D014993	Xylitol	A five-carbon sugar alcohol derived from XYLOSE by reduction of the carbonyl group. It is as sweet as sucrose and used as a noncariogenic sweetener.