Is it OK for my dog to chew/eat sugarfree gum?
Some of our chewing gums contain xylitol, which is a safe, even beneficial, additive which has been used in food, confectionery and other products – like toothpaste – as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for over 30 years and has been widely approved by regulatory authorities all over the world. Although chewing gum products are not intended for use by dogs, cats or other pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reported that xylitol may be toxic for dogs. In fact, in addition to food products containing xylitol, the AVMA recommends that many foods that are perfectly safe for humans be kept away from pets because of potential harm – including coffee grounds, grapes/raisins, chocolate, onions, yeast, dough, tea, macadamia nuts, alcohol, fatty foods, salt, avocadoes and garlic. For more information, please go to avma.org.
