McDonald’s ice cream doesn’t contain xylitol
McDonalds doesnt use xylitol in its soft serve, the fast-food chain told USA TODAY.
“These claims are false,” McDonalds USA wrote in a statement emailed to USA TODAY. “Our soft serve, found in our cones and other desserts, does not contain xylitol.”
The sugar substitute also isnt listed as an ingredient in any of the frozen desserts sold at U.S. locations.
Dr. Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer at the American Kennel Club, told USA TODAY most healthy dogs can eat small portions of ice cream that does not contain artificial sweeteners or chocolate.
Fact check:Laws on rescuing pets from hot cars not as simple as claim assert
However, ice cream “could aggravate” medical conditions “such as chronic gastrointestinal issues, pancreatitis, sensitivity to dairy products, or diabetes,” he said in an email. Ice cream can also trigger diarrhea.
“Even normal dogs could develop mild diarrhea after (being) given ice cream,” Klein said. “Since chocolate is toxic to dogs, one should refrain from giving chocolate ice cream or any ice cream containing chocolate chips.”
Clubs Offering:
Most people love ice cream. But is ice cream really a harmless treat for dogs, or will it cause a major bellyache?Unfortunately, although it may be tempting to share your cone with your four-legged friend, it’s best to avoid giving ice cream to dogs.
While McDonald’s ice cream doesn’t have xylitol in it, you might not want to feed ice cream to your dog anyway. The American Kennel Club says many adult dogs are lactose intolerant to varying degrees or have allergies to proteins in milk or dairy products.
A McDonald’s spokesperson confirmed to VERIFY that its ice cream does not contain xylitol. The ingredients listed online for the fast food restaurant’s vanilla cone does not list xylitol in either the ice cream or the cone. Sugar, for which xylitol is used as a replacement, is listed in the ingredients for both items.
According to the nonprofit International Food Information Council, xylitol is a sweetener that is naturally occurring in many fruits and vegetables. For people, xylitol is better for oral health than sugar, and is also safer for people with diabetes than sugar. It’s often used in toothpaste, chewing gums and sugar-free foods.
No, McDonald’s ice cream does not contain xylitol. There are other reasons, however, why you might not want to feed your dog ice cream.
But dogs absorb xylitol into their bloodstream quicker than humans do, the Food and Drug Administration says, and that can lead to a rapid and severe drop in blood sugar that is potentially fatal.