The Dangers of Giving Your Dog Big League Chew

If your dog likes to chew gum, you may have been exposed to a new form of toxicology: xylitol. As its name suggests, xylitol is a low-calorie artificial sweetener, but dogs are sensitive to it. This ingredient has been shown to cause hypoglycemic reactions in dogs, which can lead to liver failure. Fortunately, a dog’s digestive system will usually cope well with this ailment, as long as you are vigilant about keeping it out of your pet’s reach. The good news is that this is a temporary condition, and a well-balanced diet will keep your dog in tip top shape.

Aside from the aforementioned Xylitol, you will also need to be aware of the other hazards associated with this particular snack. For example, gum can be very harmful to dogs, but it can be difficult to determine which brand you’re buying. To be on the safe side, make sure to read the label of the gum you’re buying. There are numerous different brands on the market, and the amounts of xylitol varies from brand to brand.

However, there are many gums on the market that contain a lesser amount of xylitol. One of these is Big League Chew, a popular chewing gum brand that originally came in pink bubblegum flavors. Now, it comes in a variety of flavors, including strawberry, mint, cherry, and licorice. Some of the other perks of Big League Chew include the fact that it does not contain any potentially toxic chemicals, which means you can feel confident about feeding it to your canine companion.

The biggest problem with xylitol is that it is quite difficult to tell exactly how much of it is contained in a piece of gum. In addition, some manufacturers of sugarless gum do not list the xylitol content in their ingredients list. With that said, there are a few tricks of the trade you can use to determine how much of the substance is present in the gum you’re about to hand over your hard-earned cash for. While you are at it, consider taking a quick picture of the bag before putting it into your dog’s mouth.

Another hazard associated with a piece of gum is intestinal blockage. This can be a very serious matter, and the symptoms are similar to those experienced by humans. If your dog ingests enough gum to create a blockage, he or she will not be able to eat anything, and will likely experience a loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. Luckily, it will be easy to remedy the situation once you know what you’re dealing with. Getting a vet to diagnose your pup’s ills is the simplest way to ensure that you don’t end up with a mess on your hands.

The best way to avoid these problems is to keep gum out of your dog’s mouth. Then, if your pooch does manage to ingest a piece, you’ll know exactly what you’re up against.