What brand of peanut butter is safe for dogs

Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter?

Does your dog magically appear in the kitchen every time you open up the peanut butter jar? You are not alone. Most dog owners give their dogs peanut butter from time to time, and this nutty treat does indeed drive dogs nuts. It can be spread inside hollow bones and toys for a long-lasting treat, or just licked from a spoon or finger as a quick reward. From a health perspective, however, there are a few peanut butter facts you need to be aware of before you let your pup clean out that empty peanut butter jar.

Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter?

Most peanut butter is safe for dogs to eat, and in moderation peanut butter can be an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, vitamins B and E, and niacin. The healthiest option is unsalted peanut butter, dog-specific peanut butter, or homemade peanut butter, as high sodium levels can be problematic for dogs, and as an added bonus, homemade peanut butters do not contain extra sugar and other additives.

How Much Peanut Butter Can Dogs Eat?

Peanut butter is rich in natural fats and protein, but too much of a good thing can lead to obesity and other health complications like pancreatitis. There are two things you can do to figure out how much peanut butter to feed your dog on a regular basis. The first and most reliable option is to call your veterinarian and ask his or her advice. This is especially important for owners of dogs with conditions such as diabetes or with food sensitivity issues.

The second option is the 10 percent rule. In general, treats should not make up more than 10 percent of your dogs diet. Simply measure how much food your dog gets daily, and remember that it might be a good idea to alternate between peanut butter and healthier treats, such as dog friendly fruits or vegetables.

Health Alert: Xylitol

Most peanut butter is safe, but some can be deadly. Recently, some peanut butter manufacturers switched to using the sweetener xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar substitute often found in sugar-free products like chewing gum, toothpaste, breath mints, chewable vitamins and baked goods. It is safe for people, but toxic to dogs.

Xylitol consumption causes a rapid release of insulin in dogs, which results in an equally rapid and profound decrease in blood sugar levels. and can be life threatening if left untreated. This condition, scientifically known as hypoglycemia, can occur as quickly as 10-to-60 minutes after eating xylitol.

Xylitol poisoning is easy to avoid. All owners need to do is check the label of the peanut butter and any other product they plan on feeding to their dogs for xylitol, and keep xylitol products out of their dogs reach. If you think your dog has eaten xylitol, contact your veterinarian immediately, and keep an eye out for symptoms of xylitol poisoning, such as weakness, collapse, staggering, lack of coordination, and seizures.

Dont keep your pup in suspense any longer. Yes, dogs can eat peanut butter as long as it is fed in moderation and does not contain xylitol, so get out that pet-safe peanut butter jar and share the good news.

What Kind of Peanut Butter is Safe for Dogs?

For the most part, peanut butter can be awesome for dogs and most dogs LOVE it!

Peanut butter is great as an occasional "high value" treat, its useful for hiding pills, and it can even be used to distract your dog while giving them a bath or trimming their nails.

While most peanut butter brands are safe for dogs, not all peanut butters are safe.

Do Not Give Your Dog This Type of Peanut Butter

Its no longer easy to say whether its safe to give even a small amount of peanut butter to your dog. And there's a one-word answer as to why... Xylitol!

Xylitol is an increasingly common sugar-replacement sweetener in hundreds of products, including some brands of peanut butter. It's an all-natural sugar substitute thats fine for people, but its extremely poisonous to dogs and poisons thousands of dogs each year. We at Preventive Vet are happy to report that there has been an increase in awareness about xylitol both in peanut butter and in the more than 700 other products xylitol is found in and we have been able to influence some companies to change their labeling and warning practices.

Why Xylitol Is Dangerous to Dogs

Xylitol is a sweetener that's gaining in popularity because of its dental benefits for people and its suitability as a sugar substitute for people with diabetes. Yet thousands of dogs are accidentally poisoned by xylitol every year.

In fact, the toxic dose of xylitol in dogs is even less than chocolate! For example, as little as 1.37 grams of xylitol can cause a rapid drop in a dogs blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and result in staggering, disorientation, collapse, and seizures in a 30-pound dog*.

If a dog of the same size ingested 6.8 grams, it could be enough to cause a debilitating and likely deadly destruction of the dogs liver cells. Now consider that it would take about 22 times more (150 grams) of dark chocolate to result in the same level of severe toxicity.

Brands of Peanut Butter That Contain Xylitol and Are Not Safe for Dogs

There are still four known peanut/nut butter brands that contain xylitol (down from five brands), and more may spring up so please read labels carefully.

When selecting a peanut butter or peanut-flavored spread, keep these xylitol-containing brands far away from your dog:

• Go Nuts, Co.
• Krush Nutrition (appears to no longer be in production)
• Nuts 'N More
• P28

The increasing popularity of xylitol as an ingredient in a growing number of products including gums, mints, chewable vitamins, ice creams, common supplements, and many others highlights the importance of reading ingredient labels, as well as the danger of assuming that what's safe for you, or even your kids, is also safe for your pets.

See our list of over 700 products that contain xylitol many will surprise you!

What Type of Peanut Butter is Best for Dogs?

Generally speaking, any peanut butter that doesnt contain xylitol (or chocolate) should be fine for a dog. It can be a good source of protein and healthy fat for your dog in moderation, of course. However, some peanut butters are healthier than others.

A lot of peanut butter you find on the shelves has good qualities when it comes to your dog, but probably contains preservatives and extra sugar that arent great. Your best bet is to find peanut butter (or other nut butter) that is low on or completely free of additives.

This peanut butter made by Crazy Richard's (or this one by CB's Nuts) lists just one ingredient: peanuts. If your grocery store has a natural foods section, look for a peanut grinder so you can take home one ingredient peanut butter.

Crazy Richard's All Natural Creamy Peanut ButterCB's Nuts Organic Peanut Butter

And read labels and ingredient lists carefully don't assume that "all-natural" or "no artificial sweeteners" on the front label means it'll be safe for your dog. Xylitol is technically an "all-natural" sweetener!

If you have a decent blender or food processor, you can easily make your own peanut and nut butter at home! It will be healthier for your dog and they wont know the difference.

Note: While almonds, and just about any nut, can cause digestive upset, including pancreatitis, in dogs, contrary to what you may have read elsewhere on the Internet, regular (sweet) almonds, the type that are most common are not toxic to dogs.

Now, bitter almonds, which can sometimes be found in health food stores, can certainly be toxic. So be sure to stick with sweet almonds when making this almond butter recipe and your dog (and you) should be just fine.

How Much Peanut Butter is OK for Dogs?

A little bit of xylitol-free peanut butter for your dog will likely be perfectly fine overdo it though, and you can give your dog a nasty (as well as painful and expensive) case of pancreatitis and/or contribute to obesity.

So you need to be careful how much peanut butter you give your dog or any treat for that matter. The rule of thumb is to give no more than 10% of your dogs daily calories in treats.

The exact amount of peanut butter will vary from dog to dog and from peanut butter to peanut butter (check the caloric count on the label). Generally speaking, small dogs should get no more than about 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter per day and larger dogs should get no more than about 1 tablespoon. You can find a more detailed breakdown in Is Peanut Butter Good for Dogs?

PRO TIP: In dogs with chronic pancreatitis or those at increased risk for developing acute or chronic pancreatitis like Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers even a very small amount of a high-fat treat like peanut butter may be enough to bring on or worsen their pancreatitis and should be avoided completely.

Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter for Dogs?

You may have read that crunchy peanut butter can be a choking hazard for dogs. This is pretty unlikely unless youre giving a very small dog a very large amount of crunchy peanut butter.

But as you learned in the section above, even a decent-sized dog should only be allowed about a tablespoon of peanut butter per day, so its unlikely youll give enough at any one time to present a choking hazard.

So go ahead and give your dog whichever peanut butter creamy, crunchy, super crunchy, or any other variation you have. Creamy peanut butter tends to be easier to smear if you plan to use it to distract your dog during a bath (you can smear peanut butter on the bathtub or shower wall to distract your pooch) or while trimming their nails (you can smear peanut butter on a plate so your dog will be so busy licking that they wont notice or care that you're cutting their nails).

Is Peanut Butter and Jelly OK for Dogs?

Peanut butter is one thing, but jelly should be off-limits to your dog. Why? First, theres a lot of sugar in jam, jelly, and preserves if youre already giving your dog peanut butter, adding extra sugar will further increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. Second, some jelly contains dog-dangerous xylitol. Third, some types of jelly are made from fruits that you shouldnt give your dog.

For example, while strawberry jelly may not be toxic to dogs, grape jelly can be. Grapes are poisonous to some dogs and can cause acute kidney failure. The same goes for raisins and currants.

Either way, it's best to hold the jelly and jam when it comes to treating your dog.

Can Dogs Be Allergic to Peanuts?

Unlike some humans, dogs do not appear to have an allergic reaction to peanuts. Im not aware of any documented cases of allergic or anaphylactic reactions to peanuts in dogs, nor to other nuts or seeds for that matter. But that doesnt completely rule out the possibility.

So, if its your dogs first (or second) time having peanut butter, or another nut butter, and youre concerned, give them just a small amount to start (like a lick off the tip of your finger) and keep an eye on them.

Concerning signs to watch for are listed below. As long as you dont see any of these signs within about an hour, youre likely OK.

• Signs of an acute allergic reaction (severe) in dogs:
  • Hives or small areas of swelling on their body
  • Swelling around their eyes and/or muzzle
  • Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Collapse
  • Severe itchiness
• Signs of a chronic food allergy (mild to moderate) in dogs:
  • Chronic/recurrent ear infections
  • Thin fur coat
  • Chronic itchiness and/or chewing of their paws
  • Recurrent problems with impacted anal glands

Companies That Have Removed Xylitol From Their Products

We will continue to reach out to companies that use xylitol to discuss this dog hazard and try to get formula changes or, at least, increased awareness on their product packaging and websites.

Below is a summary of the successes so far in getting brands to remove xylitol from their products or do a better job of notifying pet owners about the potential dangers.

Update (August 2023):We have reached out for verification but it seems as though No Cow has stopped manufacturing their Fluffbutter spreads.

Update (April 2018): The list of peanut and nut butters that contain xylitol is back UP TO FIVE!

On April 12, 2018, we received a xylitol product alert submission from a pet lover who brought a company called No Cow (previously called D's Naturals) to our attention. Their Fluffbutter spreads contain xylitol so please be sure to keep them far away from your dogs and help spread the word.

Update (August 2017): The list of peanut and nut butters that contain xylitol is now DOWN TO FOUR!

On August 3, 2017, we received a message from Hank Capasso, of Hanks Protein Plus Nut Spreads, announcing that he had taken the wonderful step of removing xylitol from his companys peanut and other nut butters.

I have always been an animal lover, never to the extent of being an advocate for the rights of animals, until recently, Hank wrote in the closing of that letter. In doing my research and in making myself open to their rights, it only makes sense. Why put them in danger, and why would we hurt the ones that we love?

We have checked their labels to confirm that their nut butters no longer contain xylitol and have removed them from our list of xylitol-containing products. Wed like to extend our sincerest thanks to Hank and the rest of the team at Hanks Protein Plus Nut Spreads for taking this fantastic step toward protecting dogs from the dangers of xylitol.

Update (August 2015): We have been in discussions with Nuts N More and they have agreed to take some good initial steps to improve awareness of the hazard that xylitol poses to dogs. They have added a new warning about the dangers of xylitol to dogs in the "What Is Xylitol?" section of their FAQ page (though note that there truly is no maybe about it, xylitol IS dangerous to dogs).