07/22/2026
Natural does not equal healthy.
Please know natural is now being used as a marketing tool.
The pet industry has become one of the largest financial institutions in our country. Supplements, foods, treats, toys, gear.
Their job is to make money.
Your job is to love your pet.
Our job is to help you love your pet with more time to share together.
This 4 year old yorkie had a seizure at home. Came in lateral, hypothermic 97.7F, bradycardic 76bpm, hypotensive 70 mmHg. Her blood glucose was 26 mg/dl.
The owner said it came out of nowhere. Just found her seizing on the kitchen floor.
We asked about toxins, trauma, previous medical concerns… went through our differentials (shunt, liver, kidneys, SIRS/sepsis, endocrine, cancer), point of care bloodwork was normal except for the hypoglycemia, pocus was unremarkable.
Asked about toxins again and ran down a list of possible causes: ma*****na, plants, OTC meds, sugar-free foods…
- “No, just some freeze-dried pineapple treats yesterday.”
An internet search later… read the label.
Birch bark extract.
Birch bark extract is a source of XYLITOL.
It’s showing up in “natural” and “healthy” pet treats, human snacks, and even some dental products, often without xylitol itself ever appearing on the ingredient list. If you only trained your eye to scan for the word “xylitol,” this one slips right past you.
Dogs release insulin in response to xylitol at a much higher rate than they do to actual glucose. That insulin surge can happen fast, sometimes within 30-60 minutes, and it doesn’t care that the “sugar” was disguised in a birch extract. The result: profound hypoglycemia, and in more severe cases, hepatic necrosis and coagulopathy.
What to actually do:
• Treat the seizure and the hypoglycemia simultaneously, don’t wait for one to fix the other
• Anticonvulsant of choice if actively seizing, my go to is midazolam
• IV dextrose bolus, then a CRI, glucose checks are your endpoint, not a one-time fix
• Monitor liver values and coagulation status even if she looks okay initially, hepatotoxicity can be delayed
• Ask about ALL foods, not just “did she get into anything toxic.” Owners don’t think of pineapple treats as a toxin
If a seizuring patient comes in and glucose reads low, ask about treats, chews, gum, even toothpaste. Xylitol is hiding in places none of us were trained to look.
She’s home now. Owner tossed every “healthy” treat in her cabinet just to be safe.
Check your own dog’s treats tonight. You might be surprised what “natural” is hiding!
