Xylitol Artificial Sweetener Is Toxic to Dogs

Xylitol poisons dogs and sometimes cats need their teeth to be cleaned professionally.

Make sure the peanut butter you give your dog doesn't contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener. Halie West/Shutterstock

Q: Hercules, the dog I recently adopted, needs to take medicine that isn’t available as a chewable tablet. May I hide his pills in peanut butter and give them that way?

A: Yes, provided you use peanut butter that is free of xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in many products.