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Bobbyian
01-Apr-09, 17:50
after a visit to our local VET for our usual yearly jabs for the Dogs I came across this Notice.... I have translated roughly into English....
Basically its about the use of a fabricated wet floor wipe that you can buy in plastic packs to put on a special wiper.... in Germany under the trade name Swiffer It seems that the dog in question had a liver problem assumed to be caused by liking the floor after it was cleaned using this disposable cloths...all I ask is that you take care when using these cloths when pets are in the house... or if simular circumstanses exist in the area...

Dear Animal Friends,
> How we have just one week during a visit to the vet practice
> On the black board have had a 5-year old German Shepherd
> With. a painful liver suffering and was put down. The
> Owner has prompted an autopsy, because they have no explanation
> For this suffering had.
>
> for the record, you should know that the dog always lived in the house,
> Only under supervision has been brought into the open and always was under
> Supervision.
> The Autopsy
> Showed that the liver was in a terrible state was, which only
> Regular poison ingestion could have caused.
Then all Household Products with possible poison were reviewed.
>
> A closer inspection of the packaging of Wet wipes > Swiffer < was found at the fine print, which stated,
>
> The product for children and animals, is toxic.
> Contacting the manufacturer of this product, the
> Big surprise that one of the components de-icing, or
> Very close to the molecule de-icing. The floor of this apartment was
> Regularly with the cloth and wiped clean. And the shepherd
>
> Always licked the football and made him sick. Not
> Long
> After the death of the dog also had 2 cats with the same
> symptoms put to sleep. Also there was a prolonged
> use of The wet towels from 'Swiffer'.
>
> Pet owners are warned about the use of Swiffer cloths.

Please Disseminate this information to all friends of animals.

Dadie
01-Apr-09, 19:54
I was interested in this but the translation needs a bit more work!
Are they saying the wipes contain the same ingredients as de icer?
Or just similar?

I have not used wipes on the floor for a while....
I have a steam cleaner now and it works better than wipes or a mop and doesnt use any chemical cleaning products just very hot water!

Kid and animal friendly!

carasmam
01-Apr-09, 20:08
Maybe de-icing part could be antifreeze, which is definitely harmful, but got lost in translation ?

Thanks for the heads up anyway :D

unicornleather
02-Apr-09, 08:25
I use a steam cleaner (industrial one) too,it cleans beautifully, it kills all bacteria and flea eggs and larvae and only needs clean tap water to run it.
I used to use all the anti bac,cleaning products and anti flea spray etc but was never happy with all those chemicals in them.

Bobbyian
02-Apr-09, 20:23
In the notice that I read it states similar particles to antifreeze is probably the nearest I can define but I posted sothat poeple should take care ... our Vet meant that if used should at least allow to dry thoroughly before letting animals on the floor space .
Personlly I´d rather use something else. but I suppose one musn´t under estimate Cleaning materials when used near Animals,Young Children or Foodstuffs

Liz
02-Apr-09, 22:21
I use a steam cleaner (industrial one) too,it cleans beautifully, it kills all bacteria and flea eggs and larvae and only needs clean tap water to run it.
I used to use all the anti bac,cleaning products and anti flea spray etc but was never happy with all those chemicals in them.

Which steam cleaner do you use please? I use a Home-Tek but it doesn' really remove all the dirt.:confused

Margaret M.
03-Apr-09, 04:33
This has been circulating for several years and it is totally false! http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/swiffer.asp

On its web site, Procter & Gamble describes its Swiffer WetJet cleaning system as an all-in-one, ready-to-use mopping system. According to the entry in its "Swiffer Q&A (http://homemadesimple.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/homemadesimple.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1072)" section devoted to the question of whether the product is safe to use around pets:
Q: Is Swiffer safe for animals? What if my pet licks the floor or his paws?

A: Your pet will be fine if it licks its paws after walking on a newly wet floor mopped with WetJet or Wet cloths. You can always offer water or milk to help remove the perfume taste from your pet's mouth. But even drinking large amounts of the Swiffer solution would not be expected to cause more than temporary and minor intestinal upset.

In direct response to the e-mail's claims, Procter and Gamble posted a rebuttal (http://homemadesimple.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/homemadesimple.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4447):
Q: Are the ingredients safe?

A: We're glad you came to us for the facts about the rumor circulating. Swiffer Wet cloths and WetJet liquid solution do not contain antifreeze or any ingredient similar to it. In fact, Swiffer products have been safely used in over 15 million U.S. homes — many with pets — for nearly five years.

Independent veterinarians and scientists evaluated the Swiffer Wet Cloths and WetJet cleaners and found them safe. The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has even posted information about this rumor on their site. Here's a link to their home page: http://www.aspca.org (http://www.aspca.org/)

We have pets too, and their health and well-being is very important to us. Please help us put animal lovers' minds at ease and stop this rumor by sharing the truth with others.

The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center also issued a statement (http://www.aspca.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=16054&security=2220&news_iv_ctrl=1400) declaring this rumor to be unfounded: 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.

Dadie
03-Apr-09, 09:13
If its any help I bought my steam cleaner from lidls for just under £90
It looks like a little round hoover and has different attachments for the floor, windows, small areas and dirt blasting!
And a variable steam setting!

It now takes less time to clean the kitchen floor and its drier to walk on after which is handy as paws and little feet insist on dancing on the floor as soon as its cleaned!

It has also managed to take lipstick out of the carpet after Lauren had coloured it in red after the bissel failed to remove it!

GruesomeTwosome
03-Apr-09, 13:16
Thanks for adding this thread bobbyian, if it is true or not it has certainly provoked me to check my cleaning products to be sure they are not harming my dogs. I have heard of a few products I was advised not to use fabreze as it is toxic to dogs even though on the tv ads it shows it being sprayed on a dog bed. I dont use anything that may cause harm for one I love my dogs to bits and couldnt bare to see them hurt and if something was to affect them the vets bills would be through the roof.

I think I just wouldnt take the chance. x

Margaret M.
03-Apr-09, 21:49
The best thing to do when you get information or emails like these is to check them out at an unbiased source such as www.snopes.com (http://www.snopes.com) before believing them or forwarding them. Nine times out of ten they are not based in fact. I always use natural products in the house so I don't buy Swiffer or Febreze, however, information stating that these products are harmful to pets is classified as False. The National Animal Poison Control Center, vets, and scientists have tested Febreze and Swiffer and found them to be safe for use around dogs and cats when used as recommended. Birds should be removed from the room whilst spraying it. Here is the link to the info about Febreze.

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

Bobbyian
04-Apr-09, 09:08
Thanks for your info Margret M all I mean is that Pet owners should be aware of possible dangers in the use of Cleaning substances
apart from that the statements are for normal usage what if the person is an excesive user and the animal in question prone to some , or even allergic to substances...
just be responsible thats all