swiffer wetjet warning

[okla-paints]

Recently someone 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, someone's 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 it's own paws, it ingested enough of the solution to destroy its liver. Soon after his dog's death, his housekeepers' two cats also died of liver failure. They both used the Swiffer Wetjet for quick cleanups on their floors. Necropsies weren't done on the cats, so they couldn't file a lawsuit, but he asked that we spread the word to as many people as possible so they don't lose their animals. This is equally harmful to babies and small children that play on the floor a lot and put their fingers in their mouths a lot...

PLEASE, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE BABIES, SMALL CHILDREN OR OWN A PET,FORWARD THIS ON!

 

[okla-paints]

:new_shocked: i was told that this is not true

please do a internet search

to be sure

nope, this is a hoax...

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/swiffer.asp

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Sorry to say that this but it's one of those false things continuously circulated on the internet. Snopes.com is a good place to check out whether or not something has any validity to it but here's the info on this one.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/swiffer.asp

Oh you are so smart you beat me too it :bgrin

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

This is an internet rumor that makes the rounds at least once a year. No truth. Ask your veterinarian.

 

[txminipinto]

Yup, totally false. Every year its a new product.

 

[Lil_Bit_of_Magic]

I have a sister who had to have their5-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, someone's 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 wha t 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 it's

own paws, it ingested enough of the solution to

destroy its liver.

Soon after his dog's death, his housekeepers' two

cats also died of liver failure. They both used the

Swiffer Wetjet for quick cleanups on their floors. Necropsies weren't

done on the cats, so they couldn't

file a lawsuit, but he asked that we spread the word

to as many people as possible so they don't lose their

animals.

This is equally harmful to babies and small

children that play on the floor a lot and put their

fingers in their mouths a lot.

[SIZE=18pt]YES, THIS IS TRUE THIS IS MY AUNT'S DOG IT HAPPENED TOO :new_shocked: [/SIZE]

PLEASE THROW YOUR SWIFFER AWAY!!!!!!!!!

:

 

[tshack]

Yep it's false it's been going around for several several years. Check out Snopes.com it'll have it on there.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

YES, THIS IS TRUE THIS IS MY AUNT'S DOG IT HAPPENED TOO
PLEASE THROW YOUR SWIFFER AWAY!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps your aunt's dog had a sensitivity. Any person or animal can have what is called an idiosyncratic reaction to just about anything but, no, dogs or babies who've been on a floor mopped by a Wet Jet are not getting liver failure from the solution. It's just a silly rumor that continues to be recycled over and over without merit. There is always someone who says their friend, sister or someone else they know experienced this but that's what makes an urban legend believable and continues the spread.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 6, 2004

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Responds to Swiffer Wet Jet Rumor

Printer Friendly PDF | Save It | Email this Article

URBANA, IL - Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center have reviewed the claim described in a widely distributed email alleging a relationship between the use of Swiffer Wet Jet and liver failure in a dog. The email alleges that exposure to the ingredients in Swiffer Wet Jet caused a dog's death.

The Swiffer Wet Jet system contains water (90-100%), propylene glycol n-propyl ether or propylene glycol n-butyl ether and isopropyl alcohol (1-4%). These ingredients are safe to use around pets when used according to label directions and would not cause liver damage at product concentrations. Propylene glycol n-butyl/propyl ether differs significantly from ethylene glycol, the potentially toxic ingredient present in most antifreeze products. Ethylene glycol is frequently implicated in causing renal failure in dogs following antifreeze ingestion. Propylene glycol n-propyl ether and propylene glycol n-butyl ether are very safe ingredients at levels used in cleaning products and do not cause kidney or liver failure.

 

[shminifancier]

Ya they just change the wording on it year after year. Nothing in the Swiffer that can harm animals. Something else the doggy got into then not the Swiffer stuff.

 

[Lil_Bit_of_Magic]

[SIZE=18pt]Whatever you think

: But I KNOW what really happened and I don't care what you say :new_argue: [/SIZE]

 

[tshack]

Jamie there's nothing in a swiffer to hurt a dog like that. I'd say he had some underlying problem or got into some poison. Just becuase he walked across it doesn't mean he'd get liver failure. If it was bad it woudl of burned his paws and would burn your hands if you touched it.

 

[Lil_Bit_of_Magic]

[SIZE=18pt]Ooooops......... Sorry I should of defined it more

: My aunts dog actually drank the stuff (from chewing a hole in the bottle)

: [/SIZE]

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

[SIZE=18pt]Ooooops......... Sorry I should of defined it more

: My aunts dog actually drank the stuff (from chewing a hole in the bottle)

: [/SIZE]

Well then why lie that the story was about your aunt's dog. It said nothing about any dog chewing a hole in it. Your previous reply was pretty snotty. Don't you have any forum manners at all?

 

[Jenn]

Actually, this story has some merit. My brother's cat died because of the swiffer wet jet being used in the house and I know someone who had a litter of puppies, one of whom had a deformity. They had been using the wet jet as well. Both households stopped using the wet jet and neither has had any more problems.

I think in general, people use too many chemicals in their homes. There are very few jobs that can't be taken care of with a little hot water, vinegar and elbow grease.

 

[tagalong]

Jenn... I doubt if the Wetjet stuff itself was the cause of any of those unfortunate pets' problems. (My friend's Golden had a litter last year - and one was deformed and died. Sometimes, it just happens.) The Wetjet was simply the easiest thing to point to - mainly due to the internet hoax - and everyone knowing about it. Any other year one could blame Febreeze or Teflon or Easy-Off or your air conditioner. Any cleaning products such as Windex have much the same ingredients in them - so laying all the blame on Wetjets is not fair. If it really was such a major problem - it would be talked about/investigated thoroughly - and not just circulating for a couple of years via alarmist emails...

As Triggy's post pointed out - antifreeze affects the kidneys first and not the liver - so the claims that Wetjets are the same as antifreeze (it isn't) but liver damage results - do not compute. Any animal - or human - that drinks cleaning solution is in for trouble, though....