Sugarfree gum can be highly toxic and even life threatening to dogs. Most sugarfree gums have a common artificial sweetner called xylitol. Ingested by a dog it can cause life threatening drops in blood sugar and severe liver damage. If you discover that your dog ingested sugarfree gum call your veterinarian immediately and if they are unavailable for any reason a wonderful resource is the ASPCA poison control hotline that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They do charge a $65 consultation that is worth every penny because they will not only guide you in what to do but will follow up with any veterinary care and make further recommendations based on how the case progresses. There is very limited information on the effects of xylitol in cats because there are no recorded incidences of cats ingesting xylitol products.
ASPCA poison control hotline 1-888-426-4435.
