Did You Know There Is a Common Candy 100 Times More Toxic Than Chocolate?

Yes, and we can guarantee it's already in your house- maybe in your purse or pockets.

There is a common candy that is way more dangerous for your dog’s health than chocolate.

Most dog owners are aware of how chocolate poses serious harm to their pups’ health, but what most people do not realize is that sugar-free chewing gums can be a lot more toxic compared to any other candy.

The problem is that your dog can easily find gums around the house: in your bag, shelves, cupboard, car, pantry, coffee table, and forgotten about spots.

Instead, leave a dog-friendly snack that will actually benefit their health such as a Balanced Breed Vitamin made with natural ingredients, sourced, and manufactured in the USA. 

This article will help you figure out why sugar-free chewing gums are harmful to your dog’s health and what immediate actions to take if your dog accidentally eats them.

Why is Sugar-Free Chewing Gum Dangerous?

 While normal gum is not so dangerous for your dog’s health, sugar-free chewing gum is the main culprit for causing many health issues in dogs.

Just like other sugar-free products, chewing gums contain an alternative to sugar. This low caloric, substitute of sugar is called Xylitol.

Now Xylitol just like chocolate is completely okay for humans but can be toxic and even lethal to a dog.

Even a tiny amount of Xylitol can sometimes be very dangerous to a dog’s health.

That being said normally sweetened candies are also not suitable for dogs in large amounts. Dogs surely do not need to eat them and it's better to avoid these candies.

After a dog chews/ingests sugar-free chewing gum, what happens is that Xylitol gradually makes its way to the dog’s bloodstream.

Dog’s body mistakes it with real sugar and stimulates the production of insulin as it normally would in the case of regular sugar intake.

As a result, insulin lowers sugar levels in a dog’s blood.

This leads to many health concerns like dizziness, weakness, vomiting, and in serious cases liver failure and death.

Sometimes symptoms appear in a short time, or they take half a day. But if a dog has ingested gum, then it is always advised to not wait till the symptoms appear and take your pup to a vet right away.

How Much Sugar-Free Gum Is Harmful

Mostly it is hard to quantify exactly what amount of Xylitol is present in one piece of gum.

But a rough estimate tells that every piece of sugar-free gum contains 0.5 to 1 gm of Xylitol. This means that even a small amount could be a cause of harm to your canine buddy.

A significant thing a dog owner must know is that if your dog’s weight and size are small, then even a slight amount of Xylitol can pose serious damage to his health.

The smaller the size of your dog, the higher will be the worse effect of sugar-free gum on his body. 

What To Do If Your Dog Accidentally Eats Sugar-Free Gum

As a dog owner, one should always be prepared for a situation like this. We can all hope for something like this to never happen but what if it does?

Normally, doctors try to induce vomiting in dogs in case of ingestion of toxic food. However, if you have no way of reaching a doctor on time and your dog has started to show symptoms then you can do it yourself as an immediate treatment. Then to control your dog’s blood sugar level, give him a healthy meal and make it a bit sweeter. 

In severe cases, people have reported the effectiveness of directly giving something sweet to their dogs like maple syrups, etc.

This regulates the blood sugar level of your dog that was disturbed by sugar-free gum. 

Does your dog need vitamins? Click here to keep reading!

Chocolate Vs Xylitol

A study done by professionals surfaced some eye-opening facts about Xylitol poisoning and how much sugar-free gum compared to chocolate will be lethal for a dog weighing no more than 7 pounds.

The studies showed that if a dog ingested 10lbs of chocolate then this can pose lethal damage to a dog.

But what's even more shocking is that as compared to 10lbs of chocolate only 3 pieces of sugar-free gum were enough to cause death in dogs. And this is a severe condition, even if a dog eats less than the above-mentioned amount, it’ll still experience many health issues.

This study only emphasizes how crucial it is to keep sugar-free gums away from your dog.

Be More Careful

Precaution is always better and saves you from many troubles. It goes without saying but it is quite important to be more careful with your dog’s health.

This is mainly because there are so many products and candies these days which contain Xylitol as their active ingredient.

And not just sugar-free gums but toothpaste, spearmints, and chocolates can all cause serious problems to your dog’s health and safety. 

Whenever you buy something, read labels and ingredient lists so you are aware of what things should stay away from a dog. Keep all sugar-free candy away from your dog or any other product that may contain Xylitol. Candies with a normal amount of sugar are still not okay in large amounts as they can cause stomach issues for your furry friend.

In Conclusion 

As time progresses, the use of sugar-free, low caloric food is augmenting not just foods but many other products as well.

Every year, cases of Xylitol poisoning are reported in large numbers. And this number is getting higher and higher. 

As responsible dog owners, it is on us to keep our dogs away from sugar-free products for the sake of their health. Because no one among us wants to see their canine friends in discomfort or pain.

Still, the best way is to take your dog for a check-up even if he is not showing symptoms after eating sugar-free chewing gum.

Also remember to bring sugar-free gum packaging to the vet so they can get an idea of how much Xylitol, your dog may have ingested. 

BALANCED BREED  is the best pet pharmacist approved multi-vitamin for pets! Your dog will thank you!

For a tasty organic treat that benefits your dogs health, try Balanced Breed. Sourced and manufactured in the USA, your furry friend will love these treats as much as pet pharmacists love recommending them!