Is Xylitol safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Unknown |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
In the US, xylitol turns up far beyond gum. It is the only sweetening ingredient in PUR gum, the first ingredient in Hershey's Ice Breakers Ice Cubes and in Spry's xylitol mints (an Xlear brand), the second ingredient (after purified water) in Xlear's own nasal spray, and the first item on the 'Other Ingredients' line of Natrol's Melatonin Fast Dissolve tablets -- a chewable sleep aid plenty of households keep on a nightstand within nose-and-paw reach of a dog. That spread across gum, mints, nasal spray, and a chewable supplement is exactly why reading a label matters more than remembering a product category. Per the Merck Veterinary Manual, doses above about 45 mg per pound of body weight can trigger hypoglycemia in dogs, and above roughly 227 mg per pound can cause liver failure; a single stick of xylitol-forward gum commonly carries 220 mg to 1,000 mg on its own, more than enough to push a small dog over the first threshold. Cats are not established as being at the same risk from xylitol itself, but there is no reason to test it.
Facts and examples
- PUR Gum (Spearmint, 55-count bag) is sweetened with 100% xylitol -- no aspartame, no other sweetener listed (source, verified 2026-07-26)
- Hershey's Ice Breakers Ice Cubes (Peppermint, 40-count bottle) lists xylitol as its first ingredient (source, verified 2026-07-26)
- Xlear Nasal Spray lists xylitol as its second ingredient, right after purified water (source, verified 2026-07-26)
- Spry Xylitol Mints (Xlear) list xylitol as the first ingredient across all flavors (source, verified 2026-07-26)
- Natrol Melatonin Fast Dissolve Tablets, 5mg, list xylitol as the first item in 'Other Ingredients' (source, verified 2026-07-26)
Verdict re-verified against petpoisonhelpline.com, 2026-07-26 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-26