Is sugar-free ice cream safe for my diabetic cat? What about xylitol?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Theo. I recommend offering kibbles from his prescription diet food as treats. These will fit best within his treatment plan without spiking his blood sugar. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for providing a picture of the box and ingredients, it's very helpful. To answer your question, you do have to be careful with this around Salem. It contains xylitol, which is toxic to cats. I would not let him have any licks of it, and if you drink it outside the house, that's fine and he will be safe. I hope this helps!

It is very important for diabetics to eat a consistent diet each day in order to match insulin prescription to energy intake and demand. You should discuss your concerns with your vet as a new diet may require adjustment of her insulin requirement but if they will not eat the diabetic food then an acceptable, tasty alternative (preferably high protein and low carbohydrate) should be found as soon as possible!

Hello. I would not be too worried about the milk chocolate in the Nesquik, we may actually have more issues with the sugar free part. If this product contains xylitol, this can cause Batset's blood sugar to drop pretty low. Look on the ingredients & if you see xylitol listed, I would give her some food & she should be just fine. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Everything in moderation. Cats and dogs are actually lactose intolerant so you need to be careful to see if she gets an upset stomach. Also sugar isn't good for their teeth. So if she tolerates ice cream, etc then she can have some but small amounts. Have a good day! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/cat/milk/

Fortunately, neither malitol nor aspartame are toxic to dogs unless ingested in huge quantities. However, they can cause some mild gastrointestinal upset, as Bentley is now experiencing. I'm glad that you're giving him small, frequent volumes of water because this will help to maintain his hydration despite the fluid loss from his diarrhea. Since he is acting fairly normally, you can try withholding food for the next 12-24 hours, then offer him a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice (1 cup divided into 3-4 smaller meals) for the next few days. After a few days of the bland diet, gradually mix the bland diet with his normal food over another 5-7 days. If Bentley vomits more, if the diarrhea continues in another day or two, or if he becomes lethargic, he will need to go to his vet and may need additional supportive medications and fluids. I hope that he feels better soon!

Maltitol is not toxic to dogs like some other artificial sweeteners (such as xylitol), but it can sometimes cause GI upset or diarrhea in some dogs. So if possible, it would be better to use a treat that doesn't contain any artificial sweeteners at all. Many dogs enjoy cooked carrots or green beans, or small pieces of chicken or roast beef as treats. If you do opt to give Pepper the cookies, I would limit it to a small amount very occasionally to minimize the risk of upsetting her stomach.