What happens if a dog eats chewing gum? Chewing gum contains ingredients that are hazardous for dogs.
Read this article to learn more about it.
Can dogs eat chewing gum? If you’re a pet parent curious about chewing gum and its effect on your dog, here’s everything you need to know. While chewing gum may be enjoyable to humans, it is extremely harmful and hazardous for dogs. Continue reading to learn what could happen if your dog ever got its hands on some.
The answer to can dogs eat chewing gum is a straight no. Chewing gum contains artificial sweeteners which are poisonous to dogs. Xylitol and other sweeteners/sugars found in many human foods can be hazardous to them. Sugar-free chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, and some varieties of peanut butter all include xylitol, a sugar alternative. It can cause hypoglycemia and liver failure in dogs even in tiny doses.
That’s why gum can cause serious damage if accidentally ingested by your pet. It can even be fatal. So, if you ever wonder can dogs die from chewing gum?, the answer is yes.
Chewing gum can also irritate your dog’s stomach lining, leading to vomiting and diarrhea. This is true even of gums that do not contain any hazardous ingredients.
Yes, a dog chewing gum can invite harm to its health. Tragically enough, gum poisoning is a very common occurrence. Many dog owners are unaware of the dangers of chewing gum. If your dog has eaten even a single piece of gum, you must seek professional veterinary assistance right away.
Well, if your dog eats anything they shouldn’t, you should always be concerned. By any measure, chewing gum is a difficult food to digest. It can be difficult for even humans to pass it through their digestive tracts.
Gum has a tendency to stay in the body for considerably longer periods of time than regular food. It can hurt your dog’s body by affecting the way it absorbs nutrition.
Veterinarians suggest that owners should not leave gum lying around in coat pockets or backpacks or anywhere where dogs can access it. It is best not to feed processed human food products to dogs.
Also Read: Can My Dog Eat Salt?
There are two kinds of chewing gum – one that is sugar-free and the other one that contains sugar. Sugar-free chewing gums are the real risk.
Sugar-free products contain Xylitol. It is used as a substitute for sugar. Though safe for human consumption, it affects the sugar level in dogs. The consequences vary but the ultimate truth is that it is harmful for dogs.
However, this doesn’t mean that dogs can have chewing gum which contains sugar.
Sugarless chewing gum contains Xylitol which is fatal for dogs. Can dogs die from chewing gum? Unlike humans, xylitol causes quick and instantaneous release of huge quantities of insulin in dogs. This in turn leads to dangerously low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia develops when blood sugar levels go too low, potentially resulting in shock symptoms.
Loss of coordination, vomiting, fainting, seizures, liver failure, and internal bleeding are all signs to be aware of. The last two aren’t necessarily visible just by glancing at your dog, but they are critical signs that, if left untreated, could lead to your dog’s death.
If you observe any of the first four symptoms in your dog, there’s a good probability he’s also suffering from the last two.
Symptoms of xylitol toxicity in dogs can appear within 15-30 minutes, but they can also appear up to 72 hours after intake. As a result, don’t assume that your dog is fine just because no symptoms appear right away!
Always seek advice from a veterinarian on how to proceed and what symptoms to look out for.
It is our normal tendency to think that things which are consumed by us humans, might also be safe for dogs. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. `
Excessive/concentrated sugar consumption can cause stomach upset in dogs, lead to dental cavities, obesity, and many other related ailments.
Chewing gum can also cause dogs to choke. So it is always advised to keep dogs away from it under all circumstances.
Keep any food, candy, dental goods, and medicine out of your dog’s reach to keep him/her safe. Even the most inquisitive canines won’t be able to get to these products if they’re kept in an upper kitchen cupboard.
Thinking about what if my dog ate chewing gum off the floor? Both used and fresh gum are going to harm your dog equally.
When you are taking your dog on a walk outside, you need to be extra cautious. There is a high probability of your dog consuming gum off the road without you noticing it
Dogs are curious animals and they might accidentally ingest chewing gum.
If your dog ate xylitol-containing chewing gum, he/she needs immediate medical attention.
The veterinarian can assess him/her and determine the best course of action for your pet. Preventing further absorption and maintaining normal blood sugar levels are frequently the goals in such cases.
When contacting a veterinarian, it’s critical to record the brand of gum that your dog has consumed. The amount of xylitol in different types of gum varies. The more xylitol your dog consumes, the more likely it is to suffer from liver failure.
Now that you know the answer to can dogs eat chewing gum, take all necessary precautions to avoid it. Perhaps shift to a product that doesn’t contain xylitol or make more of an effort to store it in places where your dog won’t be able to get to it.
Gum poisoning can cause unnecessary health trouble to your dog, and trauma to you. Consequently, a visit to the veterinarian can be quite expensive, especially if your dog needs to be hospitalized. So, to avoid emotional and financial stress, take better care of your gums.
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
