Every dog is rather gluttonous and will chow down on anything that comes in its way.One of the things that pet parents should always be wary of when it comes to their pet dogs ingesting human food is gum. Particularly, sugar-free gum.The sugar-free products that we find in the market may be completely safe for human consumption, but the sugar substitute that they use in place of the good old sucrose is toxic and very harmful for dogs. Xylitol is one of the very known names when it comes to these sugar alcohols. Since this ingredient tastes the same as sugar and does not cause as much harm, humans have often opted for this organic chemical. However, if your pooch decides to be particularly naughty one day and decides to chow down on some gum containing xylitol, xylitol poisoning may just be looming in the background.Xylitol poisoning is just as terrifying as it sounds and it can cause serious harm to your pet’s health. To make sure that you are wary of xylitol and other sugar alcohols that your dog should definitely stay away from, make sure to read ahead!If you enjoy reading this article, why not also check out is flaxseed good for dogs and is frankincense safe for dogs here on Kidadl?Is gum safe for dogs?We’ve all seen an instance or two when a dog ate gum and wondered if that should be a cause for concern. Well, the simple answer to that question would be a yes. Although, with all things related to our dearest pets, the best thing to do is to gather all the information necessary in order to avoid any mishaps.Humans are always moved by puppy eyes and they succumb to the pressure when their canine friends ask for human food. It is the opinion of researchers and veterinarians that human food is best only for human beings and that a dog’s body would hardly appreciate the high levels of sugar, salt, and other human-appropriate ingredients. Even when humans are careful of what they give to their canine buddies, these notoriously adorable trouble-makers often go on and chow down on anything that remotely resembles or smells like food. If in one of these naughty episodes, your dog ate gum, you should definitely be alarmed because chewing gum is one of the things that your pet’s body is likely to react badly towards. When ingesting gum, your dog is likely to appreciate the taste, but once it reaches the animal’s stomach, the abnormally high sugar levels are likely to increase blood glucose and even induce vomiting.Sugar-free gum is particularly harmful to dogs since it is one of the products containing xylitol. Often referred to as sugar alcohols, this sugar substitute is derived from many plants. These plant extracts and the chemical thus created are perfectly safe for human owners, however, the pet dog is likely to show signs of distress immediately or in a few hours of the ingestion of the gum. Xylitol is one of the chemicals that is potentially toxic for dogs and can even be life-threatening if too much xylitol is ingested by your furry friend. Therefore, if your dog ate chewing gum, the best thing to do in such cases would be to keep a close eye on any symptoms that may develop in a few hours. If your dog’s health is already compromised through any medical issues, visiting a veterinarian and seeking treatment for the little pooch’s mishap would be great!The other type of gum, which is made of sugar instead of sugar alcohols, is slightly better for dogs and doesn’t lead to any major symptoms, however, it may still induce vomiting since a dog’s body is not built in a way to accommodate such high levels of sugar.At the same time, whether or not xylitol would be dangerously toxic for your dog is also dependent on its size. Large dogs tend to cope with the dangerous levels of insulin that are released into the bloodstream on the ingestion of some gum. Small dogs, on the other hand, have a tough time dealing with surplus insulin. If small dogs eat even small amounts of xylitol-containing gum, it may lead to liver failure, rapid heartbeats, and may even lead to death!What happens if a dog eats gum?Your dog ate xylitol-containing gum - so what happens now? Chances are that your dog will start showing some symptoms in three to six hours. This is the window in which you should be most cautious and since your dog may develop any symptoms such as vomiting, weakness, lethargy, seizures, or tremors. If your pet starts showing any of these symptoms, a trip to the veterinarian would be the best option.Since many human foods contain xylitol or some other sugar substitute, cases of xylitol ingestion are rather extensive. Xylitol can cause issues as grave as liver damage. If your pet also has hypoglycemia, the high insulin levels in baked goods and gum can be fatal. A gram of xylitol is enough for inducing vomiting and tremors in your pet. Unfortunately, even if dogs eat one gum, this level is crossed since the sugar substitute content is higher than just a gram in most human products such as gum.What to do if your dog eats gum?If your dog ate xylitol, a trip to the veterinarian is inevitable. Sugar-free gum contains more than a gram of xylitol per piece and hence, liver failure is likely to take place if the toxic sugar alcohol is ingested in large amounts. Only a veterinarian would know the treatment for such an issue. Your vet may even have to opt for treatment that includes rather painful methods of dealing with xylitol toxicity, purely because of just how grave the issue is.The dog’s health prior to the xylitol ingestion is also important. If your pet was suffering from hypoglycemia or any other health issues, chances are that the poor animal will show more serious signs than a dog that ingested baked goods or gum in the prime of its health. The dog’s size also acts as a factor in the case of exposure towards xylitol toxicity. Large dogs can survive small amounts of this toxic sugar substitute, however, small dogs are likely to develop symptoms immediately. Small dogs would also require more treatment. This size-related factor comes into play mainly because large dogs have slightly bigger livers. The signs of liver damage and a possible liver failure are unlikely to show when they eat something that contains xylitol. The liver is an organ that works towards insulin regulation, and hence, it would also help your pet survive high levels of blood glucose. However, small dogs also have small livers and hence they are unable to digest or process foods that contain xylitol.Another factor that would determine the amount of damage that is caused to your pet on the ingestion of foods containing xylitol is the amount that is consumed. Small amounts would only induce vomiting and save your tiny friend from any serious health conditions.You must have noticed that a piece of gum loses its sugary flavor after you have chewed on it for long enough. This is because gum containing xylitol is created in such a way that the sugar content is ingested by humans on constant chewing. If your dog ate gum that you had already chewed earlier that day, you can be assured that there will be no liver failure or any such serious conditions. Xylitol toxicity in dogs is easily avoided if the little fur-balls somehow only get access to gum that has already been enjoyed by their owners. Fresh gum, on the other hand, can lead to increased levels of glucose in the bloodstream and subsequent xylitol poisoning.Symptoms Of A Dog Eating Chewing GumA lot of food products and other products of human use, such as toothpaste, contain xylitol. While there is no evidence of xylitol inducing vomiting or any other such symptoms in human beings, your vet may be of a different opinion when your little pooch ingests this toxic material. Xylitol has been allowed by several countries as a safe additive in sugar-free products since the taste is the same as sucrose and it is completely safe for humans. While this holds true for us, your pet dog is likely to suffer greatly from xylitol poisoning and would seek treatment to get better. The signs of xylitol poisoning, in dogs, are easy to catch and hence, owners hardly have a tough time understanding that the sugar-free gum that their pooch ate was the reason behind all the havoc.While some seemingly harmless signs may include vomiting and lethargy, there can also be a few rather harsh and terrifying ones such as seizures and tremors. If your fur buddy does end up showing signs of xylitol poisoning, the best thing to do would be to seek help from a veterinary doctor immediately.Cases of xylitol poisoning often get very complicated if the dog happened to have hypoglycemia. In these cases, the sugar-free gum that you opted for in order to have a slightly healthy lifestyle can prove to be fatal for your friend. Some symptoms also include trouble in the small intestine of the animal, which can lead to rather painful periods of intestinal upset.Vets often advise owners to induce vomiting in their pets before the sugar-free gum gets to their stomachs. In this way, the animal is saved from serious harm and it is made sure that the pre-existing hypoglycemia if it happens to have been present, does not wreak havoc inside the animal’s body. A vet may also administer activated charcoal as one of the treatments since it makes sure that the xylitol inside the animal’s body is combatted properly.It breaks our heart to say this, but in some cases, xylitol poisoning can get so vicious that your pet may even need frequent blood transfusions since its body isn’t equipped to deal with a damaged liver. Hence, the most valuable advice would be to hide all the sugar-free gum before your fur-ball can get a nibble at it and land itself in a rather dangerous feat!Did You Know…Xylitol is one of the chemicals that occurs organically in nature and is found in many plant-based products.There are many other sugar alcohols that have the same effect as xylitol on a dog’s body.The other names that you should be cautious of finding in products that your dog ingested in an act of sheer naughtiness are sorbitol and maltitol, among many others.Veterinary doctors have strictly termed Juicy Fruit gum bad for dogs.Xylitol poisoning can lead to serious health troubles such as liver damage, liver failure, seizures, and rapid heartbeats.It’s best to only give dogs small amounts of sugary foods since the insulin production in their body is not the same as in the case of human beings, and hence, too much sugar can easily cause harm.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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Every dog is rather gluttonous and will chow down on anything that comes in its way.
