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Tip of the Week:

Warning : Xylitol sweetner may be toxic

Dog owners warned over sugar-free items

Veterinarians are warning pet owners to keep sugarless treats out of Fido's reach.
A commonly used sweetener might cause liver failure in dogs, and perhaps even kill them.

Their report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association appears to strengthen the suspected link between the sugar substitute xylitol, thought to make dogs sick, and possible liver failure.

Xylitol, a naturally occurring product, is found in many sugar-free chewing gums, candies, baked goods and toothpastes. Researchers Sharon Gwaltney-Brant and Eric Dunayer with staff at a poison unit of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Urbana, Illinois, gathered information on eight dogs treated between 2003 and 2005 after eating products containing xylitol.

Each dog became ill, and five died or had to be put down because of liver failure, possibly from ingesting xylitol.
One dog who had to be euthanized had eaten four large, chocolate-frosted muffins containing about 1 pound
(0.45 kg) of xylitol.

"People don't think sugar-free gum can kill their dog. I didn't before I got into this. But this is something people should be aware of," Gwaltney-Brant, who co-authored the study with Dunayer, said in a statement.

Gwaltney-Brant said for dogs, ingesting even a small amount of xylitol can trigger significant insulin release, which drops their blood sugar and can be fatal.

"A 22-pound (10-kg) dog who consumes one gram (0.03 ounces) of xylitol should be treated," she said, adding hat further studies were needed to definitely establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Previously Posted Tips . . .

Protein in the Diet

Protein is an important topic, as protein is needed for organ integrity,skin and coat, the immune system and energy. COvered will be what foods contain protein, what protein consists of and what the protein needs are for dogs.

Most foods contain proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The foods most commonly thought of as containing proteins are meat, fish, eggs and dairy. Grains and vegetables also contain proteins, but not all proteins are equal.

Proteins are groups of amino acids in various chain lengths. These are usually linked in numbers of three to ten. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes called protease (proteolytic enzymes), that break these down into smaller chains, which enable them to become ready to be absorbed by the small intestine. Except in a very few cases, intact proteins cannot be absorbed. However, puppies until 24-48 hours afterbirth are able to do this while ingesting colostrum, to allow them to gain temporary immunity.

There are two types of amino acids, essential, and non-essential. The non-essential amino acids can be supplied in the diet, or the dog’s body can synthesize them. The essential amino acids need to be present in the food that dogs consume to be available for them. These amino acids include:

Essential AminoAcids
Arginine
Histidine
Isolueucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Typotophan
Threonine
Valine
Taurine*

*Taurine has been considered a non essential amino acid in dogs, butrecent studies have indicated that it may likely be conditionallyessential.

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