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Sticky Situations: 740% Increase in Cases of Pets Ingesting
Polyurethane Glue

Imagine this scenario: a young boxer pup chews open a tube of
polyurethane glue, accidentally left out when his owners were doing
home repairs. The pup swallows some of the glue, and the next
morning, he refuses breakfast and begins vomiting. His swollen
abdomen seems tender to the touch. The concerned owners rush their
pet to the local animal hospital, where they discover a large mass in
the pup's stomach. Surgery is required to remove the softball-sized
lump of expanded and solidified polyurethane glue.

Unfortunately, this scenario has played out many times all across the
country. Since 2005, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has
managed more than 135 cases involving exposure to adhesives
containing diphenylmethane diisocyanate. But what's more astounding?
This number represents an increase of more than 740 percent since
2002! Whether this is due to the growing popularity of do-it-yourself
projects, or to the increased use of this kind of adhesive, the
importance of alerting pet owners is clear.

"A dog consuming even small amounts of adhesive containing
diphenylmethane diisocyanate can experience serious problems, as the
product expands in the warm, moist environment of the stomach,
forming a porous mass of glue," explains the APCC's Dr. Steven
Hansen, Senior Vice President and board-certified veterinary
toxicologist. "This mass can block the gastrointestinal tract and
cause a life-threatening surgical emergency."

As diphenylmethane diisocyanate may not always be listed on the
label, pet owners should consider any expanding adhesive product a
potential hazard, and should take care to keep these products out of
their animal companions' reach.

If you suspect that your pet has ingested adhesive containing
diphenylmethane diisocyanate—or any other potentially dangerous
substance—call your veterinarian or the APCC's emergency hotline at
(888) 426-4435 for round-the-clock telephone assistance. For more pet
poison prevention tips, please visit APCC online.
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc

Posted on SHARE Yahoo group Sep. 17, 2006