Candy Canes & Dogs - Be Careful

[Nancy5]

One of my little dogs got hold of a candy cane and ate some of it.  After rushing him to my vet, them giving him charcoal (I don't know how) but that was to absorb the candy then fluids to push out the toxins and an overnight stay at the hospital and a $500 Bill I discovered most  Candy Canes contain Xylitol which is highly toxic to pets.  So if you have any, or will with Christmas coming please be careful. 

Why would you rush him to the hospital?  I would not have thought anything about a dog eating a candy cane. 

I called my vet immediately and was told candy canes contain xylitol which is deadly for dogs.  That’s why I rushed him to the hospital, I didn’t want him to die. 

I would assume it depends on what type of candy cane you had.  I googled Xylitol and also googled if it is in candy canes.  What I found said it MAY be found in candy canes that are sugar free.  No dog I have ever had would have ate a candy cane.  The worse thing he ever done was found a case of nutter butters I had gotten at Sams and had quite the feast before I knew he was in it.  smh

Anyway, I personally probably would not be afraid to have candy canes in the house even if there was a dog in the house.  That artificial sweetener is in a lot of stuff including chewing gums.  If your dog is one to eat a lot of random stuff (and I know some dogs will) then I would be checking ingredients on everything in the kitchen.

This one dog will eat anything. He is only 10 pounds but I always say he is a big dog trapped in a little dogs body. lol.  Trust me I do check ingredients, but I volunteer at a nursing home and they had an early Christmas program and at the end passed the candy out.  There was no way I could check ingredients since they were individually wrapped in cellophane.  He is a handful but I love him.

[UGetPaid]

One of my little dogs got hold of a candy cane and ate some of it.  After rushing him to my vet, them giving him charcoal (I don't know how) but that was to absorb the candy then fluids to push out the toxins and an overnight stay at the hospital and a $500 Bill I discovered most  Candy Canes contain Xylitol which is highly toxic to pets.  So if you have any, or will with Christmas coming please be careful. 

Why would you rush him to the hospital?  I would not have thought anything about a dog eating a candy cane. 

I called my vet immediately and was told candy canes contain xylitol which is deadly for dogs.  That’s why I rushed him to the hospital, I didn’t want him to die. 

I had the same initial reaction as countrygirl, and wondered what prompted you to call right away in the first place. Was it just because it was not normal dog food that made you call the vet, or was he acting strange in any way?  Not being judgmental here - it's great that you did call and I am happy for your outcome, but thinking about it myself (disclaimer = no pet dogs, only two cats who would likely never bother hard candy, but if I had a dog...) it would never even occur to me to call a vet.  I would probably just think, "Huh... Fido got some peppermint candy and seems to enjoy it. I guess I better keep it put away in the future where he can't get it." --> not out of concern for his safety, but to keep the darn dog from stealing my treats!

Obviously if my dog became sick later, I would definitely call the vet, but not immediately upon finding him chewing on a candy cane.  I'd probably take the candy away from him and throw it away to keep him from making a mess.  If he did get sick later, it may not even occur to me to mention the candy to the vet (unless he was vomiting and there were pieces of intact candy in the mess).

But I guess now I know!  Regardless, congratulations on acting fast and avoiding any long term bad results.
 


My wife once lost a cat who had gotten into an old audio cassette playing with the tape. I don't think she intended to eat it - just playing with it in her mouth like any other 'toy' the way that cats do. Somehow she swallowed it and then had to keep swallowing because the tape was all one long loop. The vet wasn't able to save her.
 

[countrygirl12]

One of my little dogs got hold of a candy cane and ate some of it.  After rushing him to my vet, them giving him charcoal (I don't know how) but that was to absorb the candy then fluids to push out the toxins and an overnight stay at the hospital and a $500 Bill I discovered most  Candy Canes contain Xylitol which is highly toxic to pets.  So if you have any, or will with Christmas coming please be careful. 

Why would you rush him to the hospital?  I would not have thought anything about a dog eating a candy cane. 

I called my vet immediately and was told candy canes contain xylitol which is deadly for dogs.  That’s why I rushed him to the hospital, I didn’t want him to die. 

I would assume it depends on what type of candy cane you had.  I googled Xylitol and also googled if it is in candy canes.  What I found said it MAY be found in candy canes that are sugar free.  No dog I have ever had would have ate a candy cane.  The worse thing he ever done was found a case of nutter butters I had gotten at Sams and had quite the feast before I knew he was in it.  smh

Anyway, I personally probably would not be afraid to have candy canes in the house even if there was a dog in the house.  That artificial sweetener is in a lot of stuff including chewing gums.  If your dog is one to eat a lot of random stuff (and I know some dogs will) then I would be checking ingredients on everything in the kitchen.

This one dog will eat anything. He is only 10 pounds but I always say he is a big dog trapped in a little dogs body. lol.  Trust me I do check ingredients, but I volunteer at a nursing home and they had an early Christmas program and at the end passed the candy out.  There was no way I could check ingredients since they were individually wrapped in cellophane.  He is a handful but I love him.

I just never would have thought to even call a vet.  I never would have thought a candy cane could hurt them.  smh.  My brother's dog will eat anything.  Including sticks, rocks, or anything else that he can get in to his mouth.  I know raw onions are deadly to dogs. 

[countrygirl12]

One of my little dogs got hold of a candy cane and ate some of it.  After rushing him to my vet, them giving him charcoal (I don't know how) but that was to absorb the candy then fluids to push out the toxins and an overnight stay at the hospital and a $500 Bill I discovered most  Candy Canes contain Xylitol which is highly toxic to pets.  So if you have any, or will with Christmas coming please be careful. 

Why would you rush him to the hospital?  I would not have thought anything about a dog eating a candy cane. 

I called my vet immediately and was told candy canes contain xylitol which is deadly for dogs.  That’s why I rushed him to the hospital, I didn’t want him to die. 

I had the same initial reaction as countrygirl, and wondered what prompted you to call right away in the first place. Was it just because it was not normal dog food that made you call the vet, or was he acting strange in any way?  Not being judgmental here - it's great that you did call and I am happy for your outcome, but thinking about it myself (disclaimer = no pet dogs, only two cats who would likely never bother hard candy, but if I had a dog...) it would never even occur to me to call a vet.  I would probably just think, "Huh... Fido got some peppermint candy and seems to enjoy it. I guess I better keep it put away in the future where he can't get it." --> not out of concern for his safety, but to keep the darn dog from stealing my treats!

Obviously if my dog became sick later, I would definitely call the vet, but not immediately upon finding him chewing on a candy cane.  I'd probably take the candy away from him and throw it away to keep him from making a mess.  If he did get sick later, it may not even occur to me to mention the candy to the vet (unless he was vomiting and there were pieces of intact candy in the mess).

But I guess now I know!  Regardless, congratulations on acting fast and avoiding any long term bad results.
 


My wife once lost a cat who had gotten into an old audio cassette playing with the tape. I don't think she intended to eat it - just playing with it in her mouth like any other 'toy' the way that cats do. Somehow she swallowed it and then had to keep swallowing because the tape was all one long loop. The vet wasn't able to save her.
 

That was my thinking.  It is a candy cane.  I would not have thought oh crap my dog ate a candy cane call the vet.  I would have thought ya big goon leave that alone and taken it away from him.  And unless he got sick I would not have thought too much about it.  I wasn't being mean.  I just did not understand why a dog eating a candy cane would alarm anyone.  Unless it was a plastic one like the ones they have at the dollar tree.  I put those on my tree.  Sometimes I put some real ones on there as well.

[braggin]

Wow! That sure is an unexpected thing. Thanks for letting us all know about this. I had no idea dogs couldn't eat candy canes. I don't really know what else they are not supposed to eat either. My daughter has a dog and when I stay at her house when she is not home, I usually give the dog a little peanut butter, because she seems to like it so much. I hope I am not giving her anything that would make her sick.

[countrygirl12]

Wow! That sure is an unexpected thing. Thanks for letting us all know about this. I had no idea dogs couldn't eat candy canes. I don't really know what else they are not supposed to eat either. My daughter has a dog and when I stay at her house when she is not home, I usually give the dog a little peanut butter, because she seems to like it so much. I hope I am not giving her anything that would make her sick.

Peanut Butter is fine.  I don't know what all they are not suppose to eat.  You can google it. I know raw onions and chocolate are def nos.

[bretay]

didnt know that...will definitely let my daughters know who has dogs...i have cats and they dont get candy

[1imaginarygirl]

There are some brands of peanut butter that contain Xylitol, so check the ingredients! Otherwise PB is fine.

Anytime your dog or cat eats something they're not supposed to, call the vet! It doesn't cost anything to ask.

Some of the most common foods that are toxic to dogs:
– Grapes & raisins
– Garlic, chives & onions
– Avocados
– Wild mushrooms
– Chocolate (especially dark chocolate & baker's chocolate)
– Candy/gum
– Anything with Xylitol
– Caffeine
– Alcohol
– Macadamia Nuts & Walnuts
– Fruit pits/seeds (from apples, peaches, apricots, cherries...)
– Green tomatoes (including leaves and stems)
– Yeast (raw dough)
– Rhubarb
– Nutmeg
– Fatty/salty foods (hello pancreatitis!)

[BEENICE]

I don't like dogs! 

[jenniferhoder]

wow; that's pretty scary. Glad the dog is okay.

[countrygirl12]

There are some brands of peanut butter that contain Xylitol, so check the ingredients! Otherwise PB is fine.

Anytime your dog or cat eats something they're not supposed to, call the vet! It doesn't cost anything to ask.

Some of the most common foods that are toxic to dogs:
– Grapes & raisins
– Garlic, chives & onions
– Avocados
– Wild mushrooms
– Chocolate (especially dark chocolate & baker's chocolate)
– Candy/gum
– Anything with Xylitol
– Caffeine
– Alcohol
– Macadamia Nuts & Walnuts
– Fruit pits/seeds (from apples, peaches, apricots, cherries...)
– Green tomatoes (including leaves and stems)
– Yeast (raw dough)
– Rhubarb
– Nutmeg
– Fatty/salty foods (hello pancreatitis!)

I did not know until recently when my dog was sick  that ham was bad for dogs.  People have always gave ham to dogs and ham bones.  His being sick had nothing to do with anything he ate.

[bremer51]

I did not know that about Xylitol. But I will pass that on to my dog people.

[Nancy5]

There are some brands of peanut butter that contain Xylitol, so check the ingredients! Otherwise PB is fine.

Anytime your dog or cat eats something they're not supposed to, call the vet! It doesn't cost anything to ask.

Some of the most common foods that are toxic to dogs:
– Grapes & raisins
– Garlic, chives & onions
– Avocados
– Wild mushrooms
– Chocolate (especially dark chocolate & baker's chocolate)
– Candy/gum
– Anything with Xylitol
– Caffeine
– Alcohol
– Macadamia Nuts & Walnuts
– Fruit pits/seeds (from apples, peaches, apricots, cherries...)
– Green tomatoes (including leaves and stems)
– Yeast (raw dough)
– Rhubarb
– Nutmeg
– Fatty/salty foods (hello pancreatitis!)

After I saw him eat it, I googled it and found it contained xylitol  which can be fatal so then I called my vet.

[countrygirl12]

There are some brands of peanut butter that contain Xylitol, so check the ingredients! Otherwise PB is fine.

Anytime your dog or cat eats something they're not supposed to, call the vet! It doesn't cost anything to ask.

Some of the most common foods that are toxic to dogs:
– Grapes & raisins
– Garlic, chives & onions
– Avocados
– Wild mushrooms
– Chocolate (especially dark chocolate & baker's chocolate)
– Candy/gum
– Anything with Xylitol
– Caffeine
– Alcohol
– Macadamia Nuts & Walnuts
– Fruit pits/seeds (from apples, peaches, apricots, cherries...)
– Green tomatoes (including leaves and stems)
– Yeast (raw dough)
– Rhubarb
– Nutmeg
– Fatty/salty foods (hello pancreatitis!)

After I saw him eat it, I googled it and found it contained xylitol  which can be fatal so then I called my vet.

Now that makes sense.