Dogs and Gum: Dangerous and Dumb

A warning about artifiical sweeners and your pet

A common artificial sweetener found in chewing gum and candy can seriously harm or even kill a dog.

The ingredient Xylitol found in most sugarless gums is harmless enough for humans but can sicken an 80-pound dog or kill a smaller canine.

The Washington Humane Society is warning animal owners on its Web site to beware of  Xylitol. It says that in 2008 more than 4,000 dogs were poisoned by this sweetener.

Apparently it drops a dog's blood sugar level and can cause full-on liver failure. Dogs that have survived ingestion often end up spending time in the hospital because the sweetener can wreck havoc on their bodies.

While cats refuse to eat just about everything, the same is not true with dogs. Canine lovers often tell tales of their dogs consuming anything from shoes to pillows during a normal day's work, so you need to be mindful of the pack of gum you routinely leave on the bedside table. Your pooch can get to it while you're gone, and if you don't get home in time, you could have a tragedy awaiting you.

Pets are vulnerable in our world. They depend on us to be watchdogs for them. The Humane Society urges pet owners to keep their animals on pet-food only diets. Don't  "treat"  them with human food. There are just too many harmful-to-animals ingredients in our cuisine.

And while we're talking dogs in the aftermath of back-to-back blizzards, remember that salt on the sidewalks and streets can burn the little soft pads on their paws.

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