Warning: There Could Be Xylitol In Your Pet's Peanut Butter!

Dogs love their nut buttery treats, but some food manufacturing companies have been adding xylitol to their peanut butter. Xylitol is an ingredient that's usually found in chewing gums, but it can cause dangerous effects on your dog's health.Many pet parents give peanut butter as a snack, treat or homemade meal, and even more use it to hide the taste and smell of their dog's medication. With this ingredient change, many well-meaning pet parents might not know that they're accidentaly feeding xylitol to their furry friends.Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in many chewing gums, candies and desserts. Some human vitamin supplements and medications contain the ingredient as well. Using xylitol has seen a surge in popularity because more manufacturing companies are opting for this natural sweetener instead of regular sugar. Their aim is to lower the calories found in peanut butter and make it look like a healthier alternative. While peanut butter that has no xylitol is a good protein source, the amount of sugars and fats it contains makes it more suitable for treats instead of as a part of a dog's daily diet.Dogs are unable to metabolize xylitol like humans can. Ingesting food with this ingredient can result in a dangerous drop in her blood sugar and can cause liver damage as well. Other pet news sources have claimed that some brands that include xylitol include Nuts 'N More, P28 and Krush Nutrition. These brands are commonly found in specialty stores that sell food supplements and health food.This warning hasn't spread to the more popular peanut brands just yet, but it always pays to read the labels every time. Because of the very negative effects it can have, pet parents must be extra vigilant and careful about the jars of peanut butter they're bringing back to their pets.