robertwoodsdvm.com Blog

About a week ago one of my favorite Boston Terriers (no it was not you Kwong bostons you know better) was mischevious as usual, and decided to steal some of her owners gum. Her owner called to check if she should be concerned and my first question was not how much, but what KIND of gum. Luckily, she decided to snack on bubblicious, a truly sugary gum, which in her case was a very good thing.
There are, however, many new types of gum on the market that are “sugar free”. Gums with XYLITOL, a sugar alcohol that is comprised of birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol was known to cause hypoglycemia in dogs, but recently it has been linked to hepatic necrosis.
Hepatic Necrosis is just a fancy way of saying terminal liver failure. So if you know that your dog has eaten a product containing Xylitol you need to take it seriously, try to figure out how much they ate, call your veterinarian and let them know and listen to their advice. Your dog may need to be immediately treated. Symptoms of liver failure are: vomiting, weakness, ataxia, seizures, etc.

When I was looking for a list of products that contained xylitol there was not a specific list just a couple of products are identified. However, xylitol is found in most gums that say they are good for your teeth. Xylitol has been found to prevent tooth decay in humans. Some jams and jellies that advertise being sugar free as a healthy alternative to your kids PB&J contain xylitol. Also, low calorie baked goods tend to have the xylitol in them because they bake lighter and fluffier and are not as bitter tasting to us humans as sucralose. One thing I did find interesting, xylitol cannot be metabolized by yeast, so it cannot be used when baking bread. So hopefully that is in the clear.

I was waiting in line at the check out, staring at the rows of gum packages and remembered and had to let you know. So, as usual, just like having kids, with pets, read the labels, and keep harmful things out of reach. Sometimes that minty smell of gum hiding in your purse is irresistible to a dogs nose!!

New Findings on the Xylitol Effects of Xylitol Ingestion in Dogs

In the state of California, a Rabies vaccination is required for all dogs over 6 months of age. The first documented Rabies vaccination for a dog is considered to be “good” for 1 year. Every following Rabies vaccination is considered to be protective for 3 years.
When it comes to vaccinations, I do prefer to do titers rather than vaccinate, but the state of California does not accept a Rabies vaccine titer as a substitute for an overdue Rabies vaccine.
I am pleased to now be able to offer the “safest” type of Rabies vaccines to my clients. They now manufacture a Mercury free Rabies vaccine, also referred to as TF (Thimersal Free). Thimersal is a mercury containing perservative that is found in vaccines. This is the same preservative that sparks pediatric vaccination debates on the cause of autism in the children of this generation. The hope in the companion animal community, is that the less preservatives a vaccination contains, the less likely it will be to cause an allergic reaction when given. In a dog or cat, a vaccination can cause a hyper sensitivity reaction. Each animal’s reaction varies from something as mild as malaise, to an extreme of hives, swelling, and so on. My hope is that I will see a reduction in adverse reactions, and will be keeping an additional record to compare ratios.

In my neighborhood, I would venture to guess that at least 1 in every 5 houses has a Sago Palm in the front yard. The Sago Palm is a very popular landscape item in Southern California, and warmer climate states. It has a very stocky trunk and spiky leaves. The Sago Palm is very slow growing and for that feature it even appeals to people to make it an indoor plant.
It is not a “palm” at all, but a cycad. Other common names for it are a King Sago or Palm Cycad. Its real name is Cycas Revoluta. The problem is that plant nurseries are not required to list any plant as toxic to animals. All parts of the Sago Palm are poisonous. The plant contains two carcinogens, Cycasin, and Macrozamin; and one neuro toxin, B-methylamino-L-alanine. Ingestion of this plant can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, bruising, and in severe cases liver failure. Over 50% of veterinary cases that involve ingestion, result in death. The American Society for Cruelty to Animals research says, ” There has been over a 200% increase in the past 5 years, or animal deaths” caused by the Sago Palm.
As it is starting to warm up, people are thinking of flowers and plants, and getting a head start on their landscape projects. My advice to you is first go to look at plants and take a notebook with you. Write down all the names of the plants you are interested in purchasing. Do not make any uninformed purchases! Then go home, and look up each plant and make sure it is not harmful to your pets. The way that plants are marketed, names are listed differently to appeal to certain areas. You may not know that a specific one is poisonous until it is too late.
Our neighbor was putting in tiny sago palms in her backyard, when we ran over to investigate. She has a lot of cats that sun themselves in the backyard. It could have been a disaster. Cats love to rub their faces on plants, eat leaves, and are generally just curious about anything new. Look at our cat “Ming” within 2 seconds of the plant being outside, she already has her faced buried in the Sago Palm. Bad kitty!

So, please, do your homework when it comes to introducing any new plants into your pets environment. Every plant we have is completely safe when ingested by human or pets.

In veterinary school we are taught that Poinsettias are poisonous to animals. In truth the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) does not even include poinsettias on their list of poisonous plants. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals lists poinsettias as “not poisonous to pets”. So where did all the holiday fears come from?

In 1919 a 2 year old girl ingested poinsettias and died later that day of unknown causes. It was believed that plant was the cause of her death, but it was never confirmed. So then poinsettias began to be classified as a toxic plant.

Decades later, the public even petitioned for a label warning of their toxicity be placed on retail plants, but the government denied the request for lack of evidence.

In 1996, Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh participated in a study where ~23,000 children were admitted through out the year for suspected poinsettia poisoning. Of all those children there was “no toxicity of any kind” found.

The Ohio State University finally proved that poinsettias are non-toxic to both humans and pets. All parts of the plant were tested, including the leaves and the sap, and nothing threatening was found.

So is it safe to bring a poinsettia in your house with pets?? Well, I would say with any type of plant that is not meant for consumption there is a risk of GI upset if ingested. Meaning, with most plants, if a pet eats them, they might vomit up the plant they ate, or have diarrhea etc. Poinsettia’s will not cause harm to their vital internal organs (kidneys, liver, heart, etc). Use your best judgement on what type of personality your pet has. If your pets don’t chew up things that are not meant for them, then I am sure you are in the clear. Although, if you have a pet who is a clown about anything and everything, save yourself the trouble during the holidays, and keep the poinsettia out of reach. I know the last thing I want to clean up during the holidays is diarrhea!

Mistletoe is another story! Mistletoe is HIGHLY toxic, it causes vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, lowered heart rate, seizures, shock, and death. That is an obvious decoration that I don’t think is worth bringing into your home.

Holly Berries are another decoration that is HIGHLY toxic, it attacks the nervous system and the heart just like mistletoe.

If ingestion of mistletoe and/or holly berries occurs, you need to go seek veterinary help immediately. Even if a pet does vomit pieces up after ingestion there is still going to be a concern for their body having to filter out any remaining pieces. Anything from medical observation to hospitalization with intravenous fluids could be necessary. The most important details to remember to tell you veterinarian is “what type of plant”, “how much”, and “what time” pertaining to the ingested substance.

Remember the holidays are meant to be enjoyed, so keep yourselves and your pets as safe as possible.

With Halloween just coming to an end, I am sure most houses are full of candy. Please take an extra moment to take precautions against your pets getting into the goodie bags. It only takes a moment for a curious dog to become engorged with sweets.

Chocolate is the biggest concern during the holidays. Chocolate contains a compound called Theobromine. That specific compound is what creates the level of toxicity in chocolate to dogs (and other animals). Each type of chocolate contains a different amount of Theobromine.
Unsweetened or “Baker’s” chocolate contains the highest amount of Theobromine being 390-450mg per ounce.
Semi Sweet chocolate is about half that amount.
While Milk chocolate is only 44-60mg of Theobromine per ounce.
So if you find that your dog has raided the bowl, make sure you have an idea of what type of chocolate they ate.

Most dogs experience vomiting or diarrhea, while others with cast iron stomachs don’t blink an eye. Theobromine increases the heart rate (along with the caffeine found in chocolate), can cause trembling, and in rare cases seizures.

The toxicity level of Theobromine is roughly 100-200mg per 2 pounds of your dog. So, obviously smaller dogs are at a higher risk, while larger dogs may be in the clear.

Call your veterinarian with the type of chocolate they ate, amount you think they had, how long it has been since they ingested, and the weight of your dog. Then they can better assess your individual scenario and let you know the next steps that are needed.