I received an email this morning warning the Swifter WetJet is potentially toxic to dogs.  The email tells about a dog that died due to their owner using this product. It claims anti-freeze, known to be toxic to dogs, is one of the ingredients.

Before I post anything I always try and verify the information,  sometimes it turns out to be  unfounded. I don’t know where the original letter started, or if it was done as a joke, but there seems to be no factual evidence backing it up.

Unfortunately, the rumor spreads quickly around the internet. These types of jokes prey on the feelings of honest people, knowing they can be used to help get the word out.

This is the original letter that is going around the internet.

Recently my neighbor had to have their 5-year old German Shepherd dog put down due to liver failure.The dog was completely healthy until a few weeks ago,so they had a necropsy done to see what the cause was.

The liver levels were unbelievable, as if the dog had ingested poison of some kind. The dog is kept inside,and when he’s outside, someones with him, so the idea of him getting into something unknown was hard to believe.

My neighbor started going through all the items in the house. When he got to the Swiffer Wetjet he noticed, in very tiny print, a warning which stated “may be harmful to small children and animals”.

He called the company to ask what the contents of the cleaning agent are and was astounded to find out that antifreeze is one of the ingredients (actually, he was told it’s a compound which is one molecule away from antifreeze).

Therefore, just by the dog walking on the floor cleaned with the solution, then licking its paws, it ingested enough of the solution to destroy his liver.

Soon after his dog’s death, his housekeepers’ two cats also died of liver failure. She also used the Swiffer Wetjet for quick cleanups on her floors. Necropsies weren’t done on the cats, but he asked that we spread the word to as many people as possible so they don’t lose their animals.

This is an anonymous message, it’s unverifiable and filled with untruths.  Go take a look at the snopes.com site, where they did a great job of going through each accusation and breaking it down.  As you’ll see, there does not seem to be any truth to this letter.

I know many Dogsters have had questions regarding this recall, here is the latest update:

Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of Everson, PA Plant Dry Pet Food Product due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - FANKLIN, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 - TODAY, MARS PETCARE US ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED AT ITS EVERSON, PENNSYLVANIA FACILITY. THE PET FOOD IS BEING VOLUNTARILY RECALLED BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA SEROTYPESCHWARZENGRUND. THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL ONLY AFFECTS THE UNITED STATES. 

SALMONELLA CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INFECTIONS IN DOGS AND CATS, AND, IF THERE IS CROSS CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY HANDLING OF THE PET FOOD, IN PEOPLE AS WELL, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, THE AGED, AND PEOPLE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.  HEALTHY PEOPLE POTENTIALLY INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA SHOULD MONITOR THEMSELVES FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, ABDOMINAL CRAMPING AND FEVER. ON RARE OCCASIONS, SALMONELLA CAN RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS AILMENTS, INCLUDING ARTERIAL INFECTIONS, ENDOCARDITIS, ARTHRITIS, MUSCLE PAIN, EYE IRRITATION, AND URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS. CONSUMERS EXHIBITING THESE SIGNS AFTER HAVING CONTACT WITH THIS PRODUCT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

PETS WITH SALMONELLA INFECTIONS MAY BE LETHARGIC AND HAVE DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, FEVER, AND VOMITING. SOME PETS WILL HAVE ONLY DECREASED APPETITE, FEVER AND ABDOMINAL PAIN.  ANIMALS CAN BE CARRIERS WITH NO VISIBLE SYMPTOMS AND CAN POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER ANIMALS OR HUMANS. IF YOUR PET HAS CONSUMED THE RECALLED PRODUCT AND HAS THESE SYMPTOMS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN.

Please go read all the information to make sure you have all the facts. You can also go directly to the Mars site and click on the different food logo’s to see if what you bought is affected.

I received a message from one of our pup pals, Bailey, about a heartbreaking incident that started with a very innocuous looking toy.  This is the story of Chai, a beautiful 10 year old lab mix. 

 On Sunday, June 22, 2008 my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I’m referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.

Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.

By the following morning his tongue continued to swell.

He was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 Chai had his tongue amputated.

He was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday June 29th I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed.

The following is a link to an animal treatment clinic that has also documented the same injury to a Shepard mix.

www.logcabinanimalhospital.com/index.php/toy-ball-stuck-on-dogs-tongue/

I sent this information along with the reference to Petunia the french bulldog to Four Paws Inc, and it is their position that there just aren’t enough instances to do anything about this. I told their Insurance company’s case manager that was not a good enough excuse, It was inferred that my dogs value wasn’t much and that his pain and suffering don’t count as he is just a piece of property.

This should never happen to another animal again!

Chai’s owner now has over $5000 in vet bills as well as countless other bills that are  associated with his care.  Please take a minute to read the entire story of Chai so that we can get the word out about the Pimple Ball with bell toy.  If the company refuses to take responsibility for its product then it’s our responsibility, as consumers, to take a stand and protect our innocent pets.

If you use mulch in the yard, please read this letter.  Cocoa mulch has a scent that attracts dogs but can kill them if ingested.

Over the weekend one of our friends experienced a tragedy with one of their dogs and wanted me to pass a special message along to all of our dog loving friends and family. Please tell every dog owner you know.

Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog, Calypso, decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn’t acting lethargic in any way. The next day Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company’s website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey’s, and they claim that ‘It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won’t eat it.’

True information about the mulch can be found here - Snopes.com: Cocoa Mulch. This site gives the following information:
Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ‘Theobromine’ . It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Just a word of caution, check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.

PLEASE GIVE THIS THE WIDEST DISTRIBUTION! !!
Amy Beichler
Executive Director, Public Animal Welfare Society, (PAWS)
A Nonprofit Humane Society Serving the Animals & People of Greater
Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Since 1976

I want to thank My Little Demon’s mom for sending in this information.

This morning I opened a box of Milkbone- Gravy Bones (for Small & Medium dogs) with an expiration date of 9-17-09 and a Bar code (bottom of box) 79100 94203 and a box (For Large dogs) with expiration date 25 Sep 08 with Bar code 13120 04204 and in the boxes along with the dog cookies was WORMS about the size of rice and the same color. I contacted the company to inform them of this. If you use this product- please check your box by dumping them out on a table before you give any to your dog.