This is What Will Happen if Your Dog Eats Peanut Butter

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So, you opened a fresh jar of peanut butter and before you can even taste some yourself, your buddy with a wagging tail wants in on the action. Now, you might be tempted to give him/her a spoonful and we wouldn’t blame you, but, we’d ask you to not make that mistake. It’s because we don’t want you to make it a habit and we don’t want you to make it a habit for several reasons. Though peanut butter is fine in small quantities, it’s still a better bet to just avoid the practice in general.We’ll tell you why.

Xylitol is a type of sweetener that some peanut butter manufacturers use as an alternative to sugar. Now, it’s generally safe for humans. But, for dogs, xylitol can cause a sudden increase in insulin and that leads to a sudden drop in sugar levels (also known as hypoglycemia). If the drop is big enough, it can be a threat to your dog’s life. So, if you want your dog to be safe, make sure you check the brand you’re buying for xylitol. The information will be provided on the label. However, if you’ve already fed your dog peanut butter with xylitol, watch out for symptoms such as weakness, lack of coordination, seizures, and collapse. If you do notice these symptoms rush your dog to a veterinarian right away. Do not waste any time.

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins which are naturally produced by a type of fungus known as Aspergillus. Now, aflatoxins aren’t included in peanut butter by the manufacturers. However, they end up in there if the peanuts used to make the peanut butter contain them. Aflatoxins are carcinogenic, which means, they can cause cancer. Other than that, they can also cause liver damage. So, it doesn’t matter what kind or what brand of peanut butter you buy because at the end of the day, there is a good chance that it might contain aflatoxins. Once again, your option here is either extreme moderation or complete elimination. We would suggest complete elimination as it’s the safer way to go.

Another problem with peanut butter is that it contains tremendous amounts of fat. The high amount of fat is a result of a process called hydrogenation which is done to increase the shelf life of the product. So, too much peanut butter is bad for, not just your dog, but, even for you. So, we suggest that you consume as little peanut butter as possible and as for your dog, we think it’s simply better to not give the little guy or gal even a taste. Just stick to small quantities of unsalted peanuts. It’s much safer.