Pet safety guide

Xylitol and Dogs: What to Do Right Now, and How to Keep Your Dog Safe

By Pettavo

Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in sugar-free gum, candy, and baked goods, and in many medicines, vitamins, and toothpastes. It’s safe for people, but even a small amount can be life-threatening for dogs. This post covers what to do if your dog eats it, what signs to watch for, and how to keep it out of your dog’s reach, especially during the holidays.

Did your dog just eat something with xylitol? Start here.

Treat it as an emergency, even if your dog seems completely fine. Signs can start within 30 minutes, and getting help early makes the biggest difference.

  1. Call for help right now. Call your vet, the nearest emergency vet, or an animal poison control hotline. Both hotlines are open 24 hours a day and may charge a consultation fee.
    • ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435
    • Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661
  2. If your dog is already vomiting, weak, wobbly, or having a seizure, go straight to the nearest emergency vet. Call ahead on the way so they’re ready for you.
  3. Don’t make your dog vomit unless a vet or poison control tells you to. It can do more harm than good, especially if your dog’s blood sugar is already dropping.
  4. Grab the package. Bring the wrapper, jar, or bottle with you. It tells the vet exactly what your dog ate and how much xylitol it contains.
  5. Don’t wait to see what happens. A dog can look normal for a while and still be in danger.

When you call, it helps to know what your dog ate, roughly how much, when it happened, and your dog’s current weight. Don’t delay the call to figure these out. The person on the phone will walk you through it.

Signs of xylitol poisoning

Vomiting is often the first sign. As your dog’s blood sugar falls, you may also see:

  • Weakness or tiredness
  • Stumbling, wobbling, or trouble standing
  • Trembling
  • Collapse
  • Seizures

These signs often appear within 30 minutes to an hour. With some products, like certain gums, they can be delayed by 12 hours or more. That’s why a dog who seems fine still needs to be checked.

Larger amounts of xylitol can also damage the liver. Signs of liver trouble can take a day or two to appear and include not eating, vomiting, yellowing of the gums or eyes, and unusual bruising or bleeding. Your vet can check liver health with blood tests before any of these signs appear.

What to expect at the vet

Most dogs recover when they get treatment quickly. What happens depends on how much your dog ate and how they’re doing when you arrive.

  • If it was recent and your dog has no signs yet, the vet may make your dog vomit to get rid of as much xylitol as possible.
  • Blood sugar checks. The vet will test your dog’s blood sugar, often repeatedly over several hours.
  • An IV with sugar. If blood sugar is low, your dog may need sugar through an IV. This often means a hospital stay of 12 to 24 hours, sometimes longer.
  • Liver checks. For larger amounts, the vet may recheck liver blood tests over the next few days and give medicine to support the liver.

Dogs whose only problem is low blood sugar usually do very well with prompt care. Liver damage is more serious, which is another reason not to wait.

Why xylitol is so dangerous for dogs

In people, xylitol barely affects blood sugar. In dogs, it causes the body to release a large surge of insulin. That insulin makes blood sugar drop fast and hard, which causes the weakness, stumbling, and seizures. In larger amounts, xylitol can also damage a dog’s liver, though vets still don’t fully know why.

Cats aren’t at risk the way dogs are, but it’s still best to keep human food and medicine away from all pets.

How common is xylitol poisoning?

More common than most pet owners realize. In 2025, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center helped more than 10,600 animals that had been exposed to xylitol. At Pet Poison Helpline, xylitol was the fourth most common reason for dog poisoning calls in both 2024 and 2025, and cases in 2025 were nearly 75% higher than in 2020.

The real numbers are likely higher. These counts include only calls to those two hotlines. Many cases are handled directly by a family vet or emergency clinic without a call to poison control, and some are never recognized as xylitol poisoning at all.

How little it takes

It takes very little xylitol to poison a dog, so every exposure deserves a phone call.

A single piece of sugar-free gum can contain anywhere from a small amount to about 2 grams of xylitol. For a 10-pound dog, one piece can be enough to cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar. A larger dog might get sick from a few pieces. The big “car cup” containers of gum hold 40 to 50 pieces, enough to seriously harm almost any dog.

The amount of xylitol varies by brand, and even by flavor within the same brand. You can’t safely guess how much your dog got, which is why your vet or poison control should make that call.

Where xylitol hides

Sugar-free gum is the most common culprit, but xylitol turns up in many places around the house. The list below covers some of the most common sources, but it isn’t complete, and new products containing xylitol appear all the time. When in doubt, check the label.

Food and treats

  • Sugar-free gum, mints, and candy
  • Some peanut butters and nut butters
  • Sugar-free baked goods, pudding, ice cream, jams, and jellies
  • Protein bars, protein powders, and some baking sweeteners

Medicines and vitamins

  • Chewable and gummy vitamins and supplements
  • Cough syrups, throat lozenges, and nicotine gum
  • Liquid medicines and melt-in-your-mouth tablets, including some prescriptions

Personal care products

  • Toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss
  • Nasal sprays and some skin care products

How to check a label: Look for “xylitol” or “birch sugar” in the ingredient list. On supplements and medicines, also check the “inactive ingredients” or “other ingredients” section. If xylitol appears anywhere on the list, keep the product away from your dog.

Good to know: Many other sugar substitutes, such as aspartame, sorbitol, and maltitol, are generally not dangerous to dogs the way xylitol is. If you’re unsure what your dog ate, call and ask.

A tip for pill time: If you hide your dog’s pills in peanut butter, check the label first. Never give your dog a human liquid medicine unless your vet has confirmed that exact product is safe.

Holiday alert: why the risk goes up at Christmas and other holidays

Holidays bring more sweets into the house and more chances for a curious nose to find them. The weeks from Thanksgiving through New Year’s are especially busy, but Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and birthday parties all bring the same risks. Keep an extra eye out for:

  • Holiday candy. Halloween buckets, Valentine’s Day chocolates, and Easter baskets often include sugar-free candy and gum, and they’re easy for a dog to reach.
  • Sugar-free baking. Holiday cookies, pies, cakes, and desserts made for guests who avoid sugar may contain xylitol or a xylitol baking blend.
  • Stocking stuffers and gifts. Sugar-free candy canes, mints, and gum often end up in stockings hung at dog height. A dog can also smell candy through wrapping paper and open a gift when no one’s looking.
  • Guests’ bags and coats. Visitors may carry gum, mints, or medicine in purses, backpacks, and pockets left on a chair or the floor.
  • Cold and flu season. Cough drops, cough syrups, and vitamins are more common in the house during the winter holidays.
  • Busy, distracting days. It’s easy to miss a dog sneaking a treat off a candy dish, cookie platter, or coffee table during a party.

A quick fix: give guests a closet or a high shelf for their bags and coats, and ask them to keep gum and mints out of reach.

Prevention checklist

  • Check labels on gum, mints, candy, peanut butter, vitamins, and medicines in your home.
  • Store xylitol products in closed cabinets or up high, not on counters or nightstands.
  • Keep purses, backpacks, and coats off the floor and behind closed doors.
  • Use dog-safe peanut butter or pill pockets for giving medicine.
  • Brush your dog’s teeth with pet toothpaste only, never human toothpaste.
  • Tell family members, guests, and pet sitters that xylitol is dangerous to dogs.
  • Save both poison control numbers in your phone today.

Be ready before an emergency

Two things make that first phone call faster: knowing your dog’s current weight and knowing where the nearest emergency vet is.

Poison control and your vet use your dog’s weight to judge how dangerous the amount eaten might be. Weigh your dog every so often and keep the number somewhere you can find it in a hurry.

If you use Pettavo, keep your dog’s weight up to date in their records, and use the Emergency Vet Finder in the app to find a nearby emergency clinic in seconds.

A note on this information

This post is for general education and isn’t a substitute for advice from your veterinarian. If you think your pet has eaten something harmful, contact your vet or an animal poison control center right away.

Sources

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