Breath Fresheners

Is it safe to give dogs oral breath strips for humans? A friend recently saw me giving one to our dogs, and told me they were toxic.

- Hope F.

We would not advise giving your dogs these strips—or, for that matter, any other product not specifically formulated for use in pets. Certain breath strips contain menthol, which can be irritating to the tissues of the mouth and the gastrointestinal tract. Some breath-freshening products could also contain the sweetener xylitol, which has the potential to cause a sharp drop in a dog's blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures; in some cases, this could even result in liver damage. If you wish to control your dogs’ breath problem, we recommend talking with your veterinarian to discuss a safe and appropriate oral hygiene program.

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