Peanut butter is a popular treat for dogs. Whether it’s included as part of a recipe or if it’s eaten as-is, dogs are sure to gobble up this favourite spread. But dog lovers need to be aware that some peanut butter brands include more than just peanut butter in their jars. An ingredient called xylitol is used by some companies as an artificial sweetener. Alarmingly, even in small amounts, xylitol can be very dangerous to dogs. [googlead]Xylitol can cause a dog to experience a severe drop in sugar levels (hypoglycaemia), liver failure, and even death.
Please read the ingredient label on peanut butter to ensure that xylitol is NOT one of the ingredients!
Pet website Preventative Vet found that several brands that made sugar-free peanut butter included xylitol. They listed Nuts ‘n More and Krush Nutrition’s Nutty by Nature as two brands that include the artificial sweetener, but there are likely many more.
If you want to be sure that your peanut butter doesn’t contain any unwanted ingredients, consider making your own. The video below is a great guide on making homemade peanut butter.
