Woman goes to the vet. Then she learns xylitol has been rebranded on food labels: ‘Best place to get PB is Whole Foods’

A routine trip to the vet came with an unexpected warning for one dog owner. Now they're passing it along to everyone else.

A content creator who goes by the handle JunieFernEllieLife (@JunieFernEllieLife) shares a photo of a laminated sign hanging inside her veterinarian's office warning pet owners about xylitol—a sugar substitute that can be extremely dangerous to dogs.

“Corporations have begun to label XYLITOL as ‘BIRCH SUGAR,'” reads the sign. “XYLITOL is an artificial sweetener used in many ‘sugar free' products such as PEANUT BUTTER and GUM.”

“XYLITOL is ***HIGHLY TOXIC*** to dogs!” it continues. Below an image of two radioactive signs flagging a skull, the message reads, “Please keep your friends safe and check the labels before giving them anything!”

The TikTok has more than 2.6 million views.

“This was posted at my vet's office,” the creator writes. “Just wanted to warn all pet owners to be safe.”

Is birch sugar another name for xylitol?

Yes. But the claim that xylitol has suddenly been “rebranded” as birch sugar deserves more context.

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), xylitol is dangerous for dogs to consume in any amount. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically warns that xylitol may also appear under other names including “birch sugar,” “wood sugar,” and “birch bark extract.” 

RL Food Labs, a commercial laboratory that tests and analyzes human and pet food, claims that this “rebranding” by some manufacturers can be misleading. However, there is no evidence that food companies as a whole have conspired or coordinated in this overhaul. Birch sugar is an established name for a sweetener, which historically could be derived from birch trees.

The vet's sign is a bit imprecise in labeling xylitol an “artificial sweetener.” It is a sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute, and occurs naturally in small quantities in plants. But for dog owners, the distinction doesn't really matter; if an ingredient list contains xylitol, birch sugar, wood sugar, or birch bark extract, don't feed it to your dog.

Why is xylitol so dangerous to dogs?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that while it is generally safe for humans to consume xylitol in small amounts, it could also lead to an increased risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. 

For dogs, it could be deadly.

According to the FDA, xylitol is rapidly absorbed into a dog's bloodstream and can trigger a powerful release of insulin, causing blood sugar to fall to dangerously low levels.

This hypoglycemia can occur within 20 minutes, and signs include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking, collapse, shaking, and even seizures. 

It's worth noting that a dog wouldn't necessarily have to eat an entire package of something to get sick, since xylitol varies in concentration from product to product. 

If you believe your dog has ingested xylitol, contact your veterinarian or a poison control center immediately rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

What products contain xylitol?

Sugar-free chewing gum is the product most often associated with xylitol, but it can show up in many places. The FDA says xylitol can appear in all sorts of sugar-free candies and desserts, as well as mouthwashes and toothpastes, cough syrups, dietary supplements like gummies, and other medicines such as nasal sprays. 

The ASPCA has warned that it can also appear in peanut butter, which dog owners often use to give their pets medication. Always check the ingredients list before feeding something to your pet.

For pet owners who know chocolate is off-limits, xylitol is another ingredient worth looking out for—as are its other names.

Buzz News reached out to JunieFernEllieLife via TikTok message.