05/06/2026
So important. I've shared posts about this before, but am sharing again!
X Y L I T O L
As you all know, on Wednesday evening, Tucci managed to get hold of some chewing gum (Wrigleyโs extra strawberry sugar free) that my stepson had dropped on the floor. At the time, I googled โhow much xylitol is toxic to dogsโ expecting to find a toxicity calculator, like the one for chocolate. Turns out there is NO SAFE AMOUNT of xylitol for dogs. Itโs ALWAYS an emergency situation!!
If I hadnโt taken him to the vets. He could have died.
T H E F A C T S
Many people are unaware that an ingredient commonly found in sugar-free chewing gum, mints, sweets, toothpaste, some peanut butters and other โsugar-freeโ products can be highly toxic to dogs.
That ingredient is xylitol. It may also be listed on packaging as birch sugar or by its food additive number, E967.
Whilst xylitol is safe for people, it can cause a rapid release of insulin in dogs, leading to a sudden and potentially life-threatening drop in blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia). Symptoms can develop within as little as 10โ60 minutes and may include:
๐พ Vomiting
๐พ Weakness or lethargy
๐พ Staggering or loss of coordination
๐พ Tremors
๐พ Seizures
๐พ Collapse
In some cases, xylitol poisoning can also lead to severe liver damage or liver failure.
Even a small amount can be dangerous, particularly for smaller dogs. As different products contain varying amounts of xylitol, there is no reliable way to judge whether an ingested amount is safe.
W H A T T O D O
If you think your dog may have eaten a product containing xylitol, birch sugar or E967:
๐จ Contact your vet immediately.
๐จ If your practice is closed, phone your nearest emergency veterinary service without delay.
๐จ Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
The safest approach is to check ingredient labels carefully and keep all sugar-free gum, sweets and other products containing xylitol well out of your dogโs reach.
Something as seemingly harmless as a piece of chewing gum can become a vet emergency in a matter of hours.
Please share this post to help raise awareness and help keep dogs safe ๐
