Can dogs eat xylitol?
Toxic. No. Xylitol triggers a massive insulin release in dogs and can cause life-threatening low blood sugar within under an hour.
How much is dangerous?
Merck and the FDA describe hypoglycemia from roughly 0.1 g/kg and a risk of acute liver failure from roughly 0.5 g/kg. A single piece of sugar-free gum can carry enough to affect a small dog.
Why it does harm
In dogs, xylitol is a potent stimulus for pancreatic insulin release — unlike in humans, where it is not. The resulting hypoglycemia can be profound. At higher doses xylitol also causes acute hepatic necrosis, by a mechanism that is not fully established.
What to look for
- Vomiting, often first
- Weakness, staggering and collapse
- Tremors and seizures from low blood sugar
- Later, jaundice and bleeding if the liver is affected
Timing. Hypoglycemia can begin within 30 minutes, though some products delay it for hours. Liver injury may take 24 to 72 hours to appear.
What to do
- Call a vet immediately. This is one of the fastest-acting common poisonings there is.
- Take the packaging — xylitol content is rarely printed, so the brand and product matter.
- Do not try to treat low blood sugar at home unless a vet tells you to.