I saw a social media claim that a potentially deadly ingredient in human food is going by a ‘new’ name, birch sugar.
I was browsing through one of the dog groups I belong to on social media when I found an alarming post. The post allegedly showed a photo of a sign posted at a veterinarian’s office. The sign stood as a warning to dog owners. It claimed Xylitol is now going by a new name: birch sugar.
As is often the case on social media, the post offered no date of when the photo was taken. It also provided no real context on the claim.
I’ve never heard of birch sugar. But I have heard of Xylitol.
Yes, Xylitol and birch sugar are the same thing
German chemistry professor Emil Fischer, with the help of his assistant, Rudolf Stahel, isolated it from beech wood chips in September 1890. Fischer named it Xylit. From there, other chemists began producing the compound from other, similar sources, Wikipedia tells us.
The article states birch sugar is “often marketed as xylitol.”
In fact, Xylitol occurs naturally in small amounts in plums, strawberries, cauliflower, and pumpkin. Humans and many other animals make trace amounts during the metabolism of carbohydrates, the article states.
Health experts see it as a harmless sugar substitute for humans. We find xylitol in a variety of products—everything from medication to toothpaste to chewing gum to peanut butter and sugar-free desserts. The primary concern for humans is that consuming too much could cause gas and diarrhea.
Xylitol can be fatal for dogs
This isn’t new. I mentioned the risk of Xylitol for dogs a decade ago in this post about things you should never give your dog. I mentioned the danger for our four-legged friends five years ago after a family lost their 3-year-old dog because of it.
Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital posted an article about the danger to dogs back in 2021. It says xylitol can also cause “adverse effects” for cats and ferrets, so the hospital advises pet owners keep any products containing the compound away from all pets.
Veterinary nutritionist Dr. Camille Torres-Henderson says dogs are more at risk because they have more sweet receptors in their taste buds. That means they gravitate more toward sweet foods than other pets might.
Here’s an excerpt:
Signs of xylitol toxicity include vomiting, weakness, collapse, seizures, or uncoordinated gait. When a product containing xylitol is consumed by a dog, it is rapidly absorbed, causing insulin to be released from the pancreas and blood glucose levels can drop very low. Low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia, is life threatening and requires immediate treatment. Depending on the amount consumed, xylitol can also damage the liver, but these signs may be delayed for several days.
James L. Voss, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University
The American Kennel Club advises that anyone whose dog may have consumed it call a veterinarian immediately. If it’s after hours, call an emergency vet immediately, the AKC says.
Check the ingredients carefully
My Collie loves peanut butter. I buy a national brand and avoid any “sugar-free” ingredients. If I decide to have a spoon of peanut butter, I know I’ll have a pair of sad eyes staring at me for a bit of it. I know the ingredients in that national brand.
But anything “sugar-free” or “reduced sugar” I bring into the home always gets a check of the ingredients list before I buy.
As a general rule, I’d never give my dog anything with a sugar substitute anyway. But when it comes to xylitol — or birch sugar or even birch sap — I probably wouldn’t buy it at all.
I know of at least one brand of mints that you find at the cash register line they advertise as sugar free. I haven’t seen birch sugar as an ingredient, yet, but I have seen Zylitol. Even if it was a product I’d only keep in the car, that ingredient would prevent a purchase.
Given that articles dating back years refer to Xylitol as “birch sugar,” I don’t know that there’s any new movement afoot to disguise this potentially-dangerous ingredient on food labels.
Still, pet owners should be aware that no matter which of the various names Xylitol may have, it poses the same risks.
Adjust your shopping lists accordingly.
