[CTRL] warning: for pet owners

[Eagle 1]

I am being told as recently as yesterday that using a certain household product animals are being put at extreme risk and use of this product in a durrogatory way is becoming a serious problem in the US for pet owners,  as this toxin is easily accessible for those who would choose to poison animals.  This toxin causes an agonizing death to animals who ingest it,  particularly in cats. Pet owners should be warned of this hazard.   Pass on this information to anyone who has a cat or dog that goes outside frequently.   >>> http://www.vetinfo.com/dtoxin.html Antifreeze Poisoning from Ethylene glycol Q: Dear Dr Mike Recently in Australia a number of show dogs have been poisoned by antifreeze.  People have assumed that dogs have been poisoned on purpose by some unknown party contaminating dogs water bowls at shows.  It has also been suggested that this may have occurred by air-conditioning  systems. eg: Home & Cars etc. Could this be the case?  What are the symptoms to look out for & how long does it take for symptoms to occur after ingestion?  Your reply to these questions would be gratefully received. Margaret R     A: The most commonly used antifreeze compounds contain ethylene glycol, which is toxic to dogs and cats if ingested. The minimal lethal dosage for cats is 1.4ml/kg of body weight and for dogs 4.4 to 6.6 ml/kg of undiluted ethylene glycol, according to Thrall, Grauer and Dial in Kirk's Current Therapy XII. This means that 1 teaspoonful of antifreeze (5ml) could kill a 7 pound cat. Antifreeze is normally diluted for use in automobiles so more of the diluted solution would have to be ingested to achieve toxic levels. Unfortunately, antifreeze seems to be palatable to dogs and cats and ingestion of large amounts of the solution can occur. Ethylene glycol has similar effects to ethanol (the alcohols imbibed recreationally by humans). However, it is broken down in the liver into different compounds than ethanol and these metabolic products cause damage to the kidneys and are more toxic to the central nervous system than the ethylene glycol. Antifreeze poisoning normally occurs when pet become exposed to antifreeze leaking from a car's cooling system or when antifreeze is changed. Sometimes antifreeze is placed in home plumbing systems when heat will not be maintained during winter months (such as a summer cottage). When this is done it is extremely important to remember to flush the system well prior to letting pets in the house. Pets have been exposed to antifreeze poisoning maliciously in some instances, as well. There is at least one brand of antifreeze sold in the U.S. that does not use ethylene glycol and is considered to be safer for pets. After exposure to the ethylene glycol clinical signs will develop in as short a time as 30 minutes to approximately as long as 12 hours, depending on the dose ingested. Depression, signs of intoxication similar to alcohol ingestion, vomiting, depression, coma and death may occur among the initial signs of poisoning. These signs normally last less than 12 hours in dogs causing some owners to think the danger has passed. Cats are less likely to recover from the initial signs. After the central nervous system effects are over, the kidneys are damaged by the antifreeze. In cats this may seem like a continuous thing because the kidney effects often show up just as the CNS signs would have diminished. In dogs the kidney problems usually show up one to three days after ingestion of the antifreeze. Formation of urine drops off until urine is not produced at all. This severe renal failure causes vomiting, sores in the mouth, a noticeable increase in oral odor, severe depression and then eventually coma and death. The really bad thing about antifreeze poisoning is that treatment must be initiated very promptly for the pet to survive. Dogs do best if treated within five hours of ingestion of the antifreeze. Cats need to be treated even sooner. The chances of survival diminish rapidly 8 hours post ingestion in the dog and 4 hours post ingestion in cats. For this reason, it is extremely important to consider the possibility of antifreeze poisoning almost any time there are unexplained central nervous system disorders that occur acutely in dogs and cats. There are tests specifically for ethylene glycol. An "in-house" test kit is available to veterinarians and local hospitals are often willing to test for this toxin on an emergency basis when exposure is suspected. Examination of the urine reveals crystals that are highly suspicious of ethylene glycol exposure about six hours after the toxin is ingested but waiting for these to show up places the pet at risk. Looking for crystals when the timing of exposure is unknown can give good prognostic information, though. Treatment for this condition is best done with 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP, or fomepizole (Antizol-Vet(TM)), which was recently approved for use in dogs. This medication competes for the liver enzymes that break down ethylene glycol and slow its metabolism down, keeping the serum levels of the toxic metabolites down and allowing them to be excreted safely when used early enough. If 4-MP is not available treatment consists of using ethanol, usually intravenously. Ethanol also competes for the same enzymes and inhibits breakdown of the ethylene glycol. The problem is that ethanol itself causes severe central nervous system depression at the dosages necessary and this can have an additive effect with the ethylene glycol. It is still much better to treat when exposure is know to have occurred or is documented by lab work, though. Antifreeze poisoning causes a terrible death and it is inexcusable for a human being to inflict that kind of suffering on a pet intentionally. I can not begin to understand why people would do such a thing but have personally dealt with at least one case of antifreeze toxicity in which a dog was intentionally poisoned. Mike Richards, DVM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- and for the record.... ----------------------------   Fabreze rumor  "There have been multiple instances of dogs and birds who have died or became very ill after being exposed to Febreze, a deodorizer/air freshener. Febreze contains zinc chloride, which is very dangerous for animals. " This is from a friend of mine at UVA - her dog died and this is what the vet had to say.  If you have a cat or bird, FEBREZE (odor spray) is TOXIC!!!! This has been confirmed by a vet.  It will kill your animal.  A friend's dog died unexpectedly and the vet strongly suspects this product as well. ''       A-The National Animal Poison Control Center has a note on their website which says that they have not been able to find any evidence to date that there is a risk to pets from Febreze. The URL for the NAPCC is http://www.napcc.aspca.org Mike Richards, DVM 4/7/99  May 26 Update - Fabreze statement  from the Animal Poison Control Center Date:       March 26, 1999      To:          Whom It May Concern Subject:   Febreze™ Fabric Refresher   Recently there have been comments and discussions posted on the Internet suggesting that the use of Febreze™ Fabric Refresher in households is dangerous to animals. We have issued the following statement in order to help disseminate accurate information: "Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center are conducting an on-going investigation into claims that use of Febreze™ in the home caused the death of several pets. All information reviewed to date suggests that there is no evidence that Febreze™ represents any risk to pets when used according to label instructions. Presently, the center considers the product safe to use in households with pets. As with any cleaning product, the center recommends that birds be removed from the room until the product application has dried and the area has been ventilated. Please call 1-800-345-4735 if you have any questions or have a pet that you suspect is experiencing problems or visit us at http://www.napcc.aspca.org." Please photocopy this letter or download our statement from our web site and pass the correct information on to other friends of animals. Sincerely, Steven R. Hansen, DVM, MS Diplomate American Board of Veterinary Toxicology Senior Vice President     <<< .   Visit the Eagle 1 Observer "Observing the World Around You" http://www.crayon.net/read.cgi?[EMAIL PROTECTED]   " I believe that every individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, so far as it in no way interferes with any other men's rights."  -  Abraham Lincoln   .