From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-11-05 21:52:37 UTC
Subject: RE: LYSOL SPRAY...
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <132252.1099691557844.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
I don't think that people are saying vastly different things here; they are just saying different parts of the same whole.
Remember that the people who were worried or who lost ferrets had ferrets exposed to this while it was wet, and the amounts sounded large. Do not forget that.
I did run into a mention in one place last night that the Lysol formulation was changed at some point (unspecified), and also that a number of years ago the federal government challenged the claims of anti-bacterial effects.
I don't know how the federal labeling laws work for cleaning products, but in some work on herbicide and pesticide effects on animals a number of years ago -- maybe about 10 to 15 years ago now -- there was the problem that labelling at that time allowed the term "inert ingredients" to be extended well beyond what is chemically inert to also include ingredients the manufacturer said were not ones involved in the effect, so unless labelling laws for cleansers do not have the same gaps or unless labeling standards have become more strict it is possible that there may be ingredients in some cleansers which do not wind up on the labels -- another reason to always take precautions like letting cleansers dry, rinsing well, and asking the ASPCA Animal Poisoining Control Center if there is any question.
I also ran into a pharmacology class teaching outline
http://www.elon.edu/shouse/pharmacology/pharm13/lecture13.html
which includes these segments:
>b. phenols denatures proteins
>c. cresol (lysol) - alkylating compounds (add CH3) - works similar to phenols
and the Manufacture's Safety Sheet (for humans, not for pets which certainly can differ from us) for Lysol includes:
>Health Hazards Acute & Chronic: TARGET ORGANS:EYES, SKIN, RESPIRATORY AND >GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTS. ACUTE- MAY CAUSE EYE OR SKIN IRRITATION. MAY >BE HARMFUL IF INHALED. HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. CHRONIC- UNKNOWN.
>Signs & Symptoms of Overexposure:
>IRRITATION, REDNESS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, TEARING
>Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
> PERSONS WITH PRE-EXISTING SKIN DISORDERS, EYE PROBLEMS MAY BE MORE >SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE EFFECTS OF THIS PRODUCT.
and recommended the use of latex gloves
So, I think it all boils down to this: when push comes to shove ask the experts at the ASPCA APCC. *If* Lysol works partly by denaturing proteins and *if* it is safe dry then i suspect that indicates that rinsing well and drying after use shouldn't create any loss of effect. BUT, what remains unknown are what the experts can answer for us:
1. Is it dangerous when wet and how dangerous?
2. Is there a possibility of less obvious effects when it is dry?
3. If the answer to question 2 is "yes" then does rinsing work?
It keeps booiling down to the same thing: when in doubt be careful and ask the experts at the ASPCA APCC.