My dog ate sugar-free gum or something with xylitol
Do this first
- Call a vet or poison control now. Blood sugar can crash within 30 minutes.
- Check the label and count how many pieces are missing.
- Do not make your dog vomit unless you are told to — a hypoglycaemic dog can inhale it.
- Take the packaging with you.
Why xylitol is different
In people, xylitol does not affect insulin. In dogs it triggers a rapid, powerful release of insulin from the pancreas, which drives blood sugar down fast. At higher doses it also causes liver damage by a separate mechanism that is still not fully understood.
It is the speed that makes this dangerous. Chocolate gives you hours. Xylitol can produce hypoglycaemia in 10 to 30 minutes.
The thresholds
| Dose | What happens |
|---|---|
| Around 100 mg/kg | Hypoglycaemia. Weakness, wobbliness, vomiting, collapse, seizures. |
| Around 500 mg/kg and above | Risk of acute liver failure, which can appear up to 72 hours later. |
Gum is the difficult case, because xylitol content varies hugely between brands — from roughly 0.1 g to over 1 g per piece. A 10 lb dog eating two pieces of a high-xylitol gum takes in around 440 mg/kg, which is close to the liver-damage threshold. The same two pieces of a low-xylitol brand might be a tenth of that.
Unless the packet lists xylitol grams per serving, assume the worst case when you call. Guessing low here is genuinely dangerous.
Where xylitol hides
- Sugar-free gum and mints — by far the most common exposure
- Some peanut butters, which matters because peanut butter is used to give tablets
- Sugar-free sweets, chocolate and baked goods
- Protein bars and some drink powders
- Chewable vitamins, some medicines, and many toothpastes
- Nasal sprays and some mouthwashes
Not in an emergency — now, while nothing is happening. If you use peanut butter to hide medication, read the label. It is the one exposure route that is entirely preventable with two minutes of attention.
Symptoms, and the timeline
| When | What you might see |
|---|---|
| 10 to 30 minutes | Weakness, wobbliness, vomiting, lethargy, trembling. |
| 30 to 60 minutes | Collapse, seizures if blood sugar falls far enough. |
| 12 to 72 hours | Signs of liver injury at higher doses: jaundice, bruising, continued vomiting. |
What the vet will do
Blood glucose is checked immediately and then repeatedly. Dogs are typically given intravenous dextrose to hold blood sugar up while the insulin surge passes, which usually means staying in for 12 to 24 hours. At higher doses, liver values are monitored for up to 72 hours and liver-protective medication is given.
Dogs treated promptly for hypoglycaemia alone usually do very well. Liver failure carries a much more guarded outlook, which is why the dose matters so much.
Common questions
My dog swallowed the gum still in its wrapper. Does that help?
Not much, and it adds a second problem — wrappers and whole packets can cause a blockage. Call anyway.
How much peanut butter is dangerous?
It depends entirely on whether it contains xylitol, and how much. Most brands do not. Read the label rather than estimating, and call with the figure.
My dog seems completely fine an hour later. Am I clear?
For hypoglycaemia, largely. For liver injury you are not — that can appear up to 72 hours later at higher doses. Ask poison control whether the dose warrants monitoring.
Is xylitol the same as other sugar alcohols?
No. Erythritol, sorbitol and maltitol do not cause this insulin response in dogs. Xylitol, and to a lesser extent birch sugar, which is the same thing under another name, are the ones that matter.
This page is general information, not veterinary advice for your individual dog. Thresholds are from the Merck Veterinary Manual and the ASPCA. If your dog is unwell, call one of the numbers above rather than reading on.