Vets Warn Pet Owners That Foods Containing Sweetener 'Xylitol' Could Be Deadly

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Veterinarians had a warning for pet owners about an increase in emergency calls regarding a substance found in human food.

As CBS2's Emily Smith reported, a natural sweetener called xylitol could be deadly for pets.

Most dog owners know how harmful chocolate can be to their pets, now xylitol has been added to the list. It's a type of no calorie sweetener extracted from plants, and found in a variety of food products.

It's sold in bags for baking, and is fine for humans, but in dogs the substance can cause brain damage, seizures, and liver damage.

"We are seeing more and more. The main thing it is causing is hypoglycemia," Dr. Boaz Levitin said.

A dog eating even half a gram of xylitol can suffer some illness, but ingesting a pack of gum or a tray of treats containing xylitol can be deadly, Dr. Levitin said.

Xylitol is primarily found in sugar free gum, but is becoming more popular as a sugar substitute in baked goods and candy, especially brands touting less sugar.

If you have given your dog peanut butter or use it to help the medicine go down, it's important to know that xylitol is found in some brands.

"He'll eat peanut butter sometimes so it's good to know. Now I know to look for it," Maureen Brookes said.

Warning signs include weakness, vomiting, seizures, or collapsing.

When it comes to toxicity time is of the essence. If you suspect your pet has been poisoned go directly to the vet, it could be life saving.

Xylitol can also be found in toothpaste. Doctors suggested sticking with brands made for pets versus human products.