Can dogs eat peanut butter?

The label is the whole question

Peanut butter itself is not toxic to dogs. The problem is what some brands sweeten it with. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used in sugar-free foods, and it is dangerous to dogs at doses that would do nothing to a person. It sometimes appears on an ingredients list as birch sugar.

In dogs, xylitol triggers a fast release of insulin. Blood sugar can fall sharply within an hour of eating it. Larger amounts have been linked to liver failure, which can develop over the following days even when the initial low blood sugar has been treated.

Read the jar before you give any. “No added sugar” and “sugar free” are the labels worth stopping on.

Signs of xylitol poisoning

• Weakness, wobbliness, or trouble standing
• Vomiting
• Collapse or seizures
• Later, signs of liver trouble such as jaundice or dark urine

If your dog has eaten peanut butter containing xylitol, treat it as an emergency and call rather than watch and wait.

If the label is clean

Plain peanut butter is high in fat and calories, so it belongs in the same category as any other rich treat: small amounts, not every day, and less if your dog is overweight or prone to pancreatitis. Unsalted and unsweetened is the version to buy. A smear inside a hollow toy lasts far longer than a spoonful and does less damage to the calorie budget.