Probably not good for cats, either.

A sweetener found in candies, gums, baked goods and even peanut butter could prove deadly for canines. Many dog owners don’t even realize there’s a threat.

Nationally, the Pet Poison Helpline had about 2,800 calls about known or suspected xylitol ingestion so far this year. That’s up from 300 in 2009.

Veterinarians say it’s a sign of the times. People are using these sweeteners to cut calories and don’t realize they could be harmful to their four-legged friends.

Xylitol is mostly man-made and used in a lot of sugar-free, low sugar or restricted diets.

Dr. Terry Muratore, of Legacy Animal Hospital, said it can cause a lot of events starting with low blood sugar.

“A dog ingests xylitol - the insulin is produced by the pancreas. The blood sugar drops to dangerously low levels. The first signs you’ll see are weakness, staggering, almost type of a drunken stupor type of thing,” Muratore said.

If untreated it can cause irreversible, sometimes fatal liver damage. But, if caught early, the damage can be reversed.

Signs of xylitol poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea and then an almost morbid state. If you think your dog ingested it, call your veterinarian right away.