Pet Product Reviews

Kitty Litter with a Serious Warning

Vets have been reporting more and more kitty illnesses related to litter. Certain litters are actually causing serious problems for our feline friends including asthma, bronchitis, intestinal blockage and possibly even lung cancer.

Most litters are loaded with chemicals to reduce odor and help with absorption. These chemicals are released into the air when your cat digs in the litter box. The dust from the litter gets into the cat's lungs and can wreak havoc on its immune system, putting his or her health in jeopardy. With every visit to the litter box, your cat may be polluting its lungs. Damage can occur in just a short period of time.

Clumping clay litter, which forms a hard ball when it gets wet, is one of the most harmful types on the market. Several brands use this clay to make thier litter easier to scoop. What makes it clump? It's a natural clay ingredient called sodium bentonite. In this case, "natural" is not always safe. Here's the problem: When this clay gets wet it expands and forms a hard mass. So when your cat or kitten digs in the litter box it's stirring up clay dust and breathing it in. Once it gets into their lungs, it expands from the moisture, and in time builds up, causing all sorts of lung problems like
the ones mentioned above.

Some clumping litters actually post a warning right on the bag; "Do Not Let Cat Ingest Litter". It is ridiculous to think that you can stop your cat from breathing while visiting the litter box .You cannot stop your cat from grooming itself with its tongue or stop your new kitten from swatting and nibbling on the litter. Anything their tongue contacts gets ingested. Once the clay litter is inside the cat or kitten and expands, it not only could cause dehydration by absorbing all the body's moisture, it could also form a hard mass in the intestines over a period of time, which could be fatal.

The problem of health difficulties and even deaths resulting from clumping litters extend far beyond cats and kittens to ferrets, rabbits, and even dogs that raid litter boxes. So what can you do? The solution is easy, simple and inexpensive. Switch to a biodegradable, dust and clay free, non-clumping litter. Many of these biodegradable litters are made from recycled paper, which will help to save the environment as well as your pet. You can find these products almost anywhere, just read the label. If you're worried about odor, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda in with the litter. It
works better than litter deodorizers that just cover up odors instead of absorbing them. You can also find a litter box with a top that has a filter for odor control.

Now that you know some of the dangers and their solutions regarding kitty litter, hope you will pass this information on to a friend. You could be saving the health of an animal.

www.petconsumerreport.com

ARTICLE ON CAT LITTER

How Safe Is Febreze?

by Ross Becker, Publisher, Good Dog! Magazine (www.gooddogmagazine.com)

If you're a dog person who uses the Internet, you've probably received a copy of the forwarded message titled, "Febreze Is Dangerous To Pets." No one seems to know where this message originated, but slightly different versions have been
circulating since late 1998.

Since many of our readers, friends, relatives and writers have forwarded this message to us, and since we're The Consumer Magazine for Dog Owners, Good Dog! magazine decided to investigate.

The e-mail originated in mid-December on the rec.pets.birds newsgroup with a story about a smoker spraying Febreze on his clothes, and several birds dying.The author had previously posted questionable information about the hazards of Teflon®. Despite efforts of responsible members of the newsgroup to kill the story, it took on a life of its own, and morphed into a warning to dog and cat owners.

First, you may ask, what is Febreze®? It's a fabric deodorizer that comes in a pump bottle. It's water-based, and uses a modified starch as its main ingredient. Starches in this class are approved by the FDA as food additives. It also contains 1% or less zinc chloride, which is a similar level to what's in eyedrops. There's also a preservative and some perfume.

Febreze is made by Procter & Gamble, one of the world's largest consumer products companies. According to the label, Febreze is designed to be sprayed on fabric.

Let's look at some of the accusations mentioned in the e-mail.

One of the e-mail versions we received states, "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." Good Dog! checked with our friends at the ASPCA's National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC). Steve Hansen, DVM, a board-certified veterinary toxicologist, told us that they have not had any cases reported to them of poisonings from Febreze. Veterinarians and dog owners across the country call NAPCC for assistance when pets have been poisoned or exposed to toxic substances. The NAPCC maintains a database of cases, and knows when a product is causing problems.

According to Hansen, they haven't received any reports on Febreze, although they have certainly received a host of inquiries.

Here's the official statement from NAPCC: "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. 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
www.napcc.aspca.org."

Has anyone contacted Procter & Gamble with problems? We talked to P&G spokesperson Damon Jones. He said that the first dog owner to contact the company with a potential serious problem occurred in mid-March -- three months after the e-mail began circulating. In this case, a 14-year-old dog had died, and the owner was asking whether Febreze could have been a factor. P&G staff vets and toxicologists are getting in touch with the dog's vet.

Procter & Gamble Toxicologist Jennifer Counts, Ph.D. told Good Dog!, "It started in the middle of December. We spent a lot of time talking to a consumer from Pennsylvania who thought Febreze killed her three parakeets. We talked to her veterinarian, and there were other factors which could have been involved. To the best of my knowledge, no determination was ever made as to the cause of death of the birds. But it became a heart-wrenching story when she put it on the Internet.

"We've tried to track down other consumers who had problems and we've followed up with everyone who calls us. We haven't heard from any cat owners, and only a few people have reported skin allergies in dogs.

"Based on clinical and non-clinical testing, we wouldn't expect any adverse effects. We've consulted with veterinarians, and they say there's nothing in the formula which should be a concern.

"According to our research, the modified starch is too big a molecule to get into the skin, and there are no reports of zinc chloride causing skin allergy. The preservative and perfume are very common in other household products."

Another part of the e-mail says, "Many birds have already been killed after this product was used in any proximity to them whatsoever, and some dogs have also died. Other dogs have become ill without dying." Damon Jones says, "Not one veterinarian thinks Febreze has been a factor in the death of a dog."

Dr. Hansen of NAPCC says, "In a high concentration, zinc chloride can be corrosive and can cause skin lesions. Febreze, with 1% or less of zinc chloride and a pH of 4 to 5, might be slightly irritating if sprayed directly on the skin, but not enough to cause skin lesions. It's not likely to be a problem if used according to the label instructions."

Before Procter & Gamble markets a product, it does extensive testing to determine safety and efficacy. The individual ingredients in Febreze have been tested, and the final product has also been tested. The company reviewed tests conducted by independent labs, as well as other scientific experiments involving zinc chloride. Based on this, P&G's Damon Jones declares, "Febreze is safe to use around pets."

According to NAPCC's Steve Hansen, zinc chloride was being considered for use as a mouthwash useful in treating gingivitis in people. The animal model studied? Beagles.

Steve Hansen says there are other, more serious pet hazards to worry about around the house: Caustic automatic dishwasher detergent. Disinfectants. Tub and tile cleaners. Antifreeze. Chocolate.

As for the Febreze scare, is there any truth to this, or is it just another bit of Internet silliness? Give us the facts -- tell us if you've had any problems with Febreze. We'll update this story in a future issue of Good Dog!

Important Phone Numbers

ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center:
Febreze Hotline: 1-800-345-4735 (Free)
Emergencies 800-548-2423 (A fee applies)
www.napcc.aspca.org

Procter & Gamble Febreze website: www.febreze.com

Good Dog! (800) 968-1738, e-mail help@gooddogmagazine.com,
website: www.gooddogmagazine.com
This story may be posted and forwarded in its entirety, as long as you include this note. Electronic copies are available at our website, www.gooddogmagazine.com ©1999 Good Dog! Magazine. All rights reserved. (gdweb)

KING 5 investigates a potential danger to your pets; company pulls product 11/22/2001
By Chris Ingalls, KING5 News

Is your dog biting off more than he can chew?

The KING 5 Investigators have learned of a troubling pattern among one of the most popular dog chews on Seattle area store shelves.

One of the most trusted names in dog chews is Nylabone. For 40 years they’ve made some of the most popular dog chews.

But there is growing evidence that some of their product lines - like one made from a gummy material - could be harmful, even fatal, to your dog.

At the Renton veterinary hospital she manages, Gail Scott has declared some chew toys off-limits. “I gave this one - one similar to this - to my own dog,” she said, holding up a Nylabone. Now added to her list is the Nylabone “plaque attacker,” the kind that she gave to her Doberman Sting.

”He had broken the whole end off and it was going down this throat. But I retrieved it quickly and of course took it away from him,” Scott said. “Had it been swallowed, probably within days, this could have been lodged somewhere in the intestinal tract and probably had to be retrieved surgically.”
But even surgery couldn’t save Timber. It was only after the champion Alaskan malamute died in Virginia that a vet discovered a chunk of plaque attacker lodged in his stomach.

In Texas, the same fate was in store for Rambo, a little poodle. The vet retrieved two pieces of what appeared to be Nylabone products, after Rambo’s agonizing death. “What really got me is when the vet told me he screamed, and then died,” said Harvey Hannah, Rambo’s owner.

Virginia attorney Debra Corcoran said she’s uncovered more than a hundred cases where dogs may have been injured or killed after swallowing Nylabone products. She blames the company’s line of flexible chew toys. They’re marketed under names like Gumma-Bone and Plaque Attacker.

Some vets say they’re made of an indigestible material, and plaque attacker has a knobby surface that can lodge in the digestive tract.

“This is a gas pocket in the stomach outlined here,” Rambo’s vet said, pointing to an X-ray.
Rambo’s x-ray highlights another problem. Nylabones don’t show up on X-rays, so vets, like Rambo’s can’t tell what’s making the dog sick.

”When it hung up - the intestine keeps moving - so it kind of knotted up like an accordion,” the vet said. The KING 5 Investigators have obtained a half dozen letters Nylabone sent to customers whose dogs were injured. The company calls the cases “...most unusual...” or an “...isolated incident...”
In a letter to KING 5, Nylabone said “...the Plaque Attacker (registered trademark) is safe ...” “however, all polymer dog chews, regardless of manufacturer, can present problems when they are inappropriate in size or have become old and worn.”

In Timber’s case, Nylabone settled for an undisclosed dollar amount the day of trial.
Attorney Debra Corcoran is now preparing a class-action lawsuit, but some people who’ve lost their pets want quicker action from Nylabone, whose products can be found in pet shops just about anywhere. “Take it off the market - or at least change your packaging and put on warning labels,” asked Harvey Hannah, Rambo’s owner.

Late this week - that’s exactly what’s happened. Nylabone sent KING 5 this letter saying that after ten years on store shelves it’s pulling the Plaque Attacker.

The company says it will replace Plaque Attacker with “...a new, improved product shortly.”
But it won’t say how soon - or exactly what changes will be made. We’ll be watching for it - and we’ll let you know how it compares.

The following is the text of the letter sent by Nylabone to the KING5 Investigators:
Nylabone products, a division of T.F.H. Publications, announced that it is replacing its Plaque Attacker line of dental dog bones.

“When used properly, the ASPCA approved Plaque Attacker Bones are a safe and effective aide in reducing problems associated with periodontal disease in dogs,” said Glen Axelrod, President and C.E.O. of T.F.H.

Publications. “However, all polyurethane dental dog bones, regardless of manufacturer, can present problems when they are inappropriate in size and have become old and worn.”

The Plaque Attacker line of dental dog bones included the four sizes of Dental Bones made from polyurethane plastic which were introduced in the early 1990’s. The produce is designed to massage a dog’s teeth and gums through specially designed dental tips on a traditional dog bone shape to prevent canine periodontal disease. When improperly monitored during use, the bones can become frayed and worn, with the possibility of large pieces being bitten off and becoming lodged in a dog’s intestinal tract.

“We are highly committed to pet safety and, while a typical small piece of the product will normally pass through a dog harmlessly, we take any amount of customer concern seriously. As such, we are discontinuing and removing all four sizes of our Bones in the Plaque Attacker line from stores and will introduce a new, improved product shortly. We will continue to work very closely with our veterinarian experts and the ASPCA to define, circulate and publish guidelines for the proper use of polyurethane dental pet products industry wide,” said Axelrod.

Nylabone Products, a division of T.F.H. Publications, is a leading manufacturer of premium dog chews and dental devices. Since their introduction in 1955, Nylabone dog chews have grown to be the most recognized dog chew among veterinarians, clinics and kennels. Nylabone Products carry the ASPCA seal of approval.

Silica Gel Packets Briefly Sicken Pets

Be warned that the silica gel packets found in shoeboxes and medicine pill bottles may cause gastrointestinal problems for pets. Some symptoms found shortly right after ingesting the gel are nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. While the silica gel is not fatal and the effects are mild, pet owners should be aware and dispose of these packets properly.

Pet Product News December 2001