Gorilla Glue Dangers

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(Please note: If you suspect your dog has ingested ANY Gorilla Glue or another diphenylmethane diisocyanate-based polyurethane glue, get her to a veterinarian immediately.)

I just learned that some dogs like the sweet smell & taste of Gorilla Glue and eating it can kill them. (It’s also possible cats like the taste too, so be careful with them too.)  The problem isn’t that the glue is poisonous though.  Gorilla Glue and other diphenylmethane diisocyanate-based polyurethane glues (Sumo GlueSticky Ass GlueElmer’s Glue-All Max) expand and harden on contact with moisture.  (The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services has an extensive extensive list of glues containing Diphenylmethane diisocyanate.)

When this glue comes into contact with saliva & gastric fluids, it expands & hardens in your dog’s digestive tract creating a deadly blockage.  Symptoms include:

  • vomiting
  • drooling
  • retching
  • loss of appetite
  • lethargy
  • bloated abdomen

Keep this type of glue well out of reach of your dog, quickly clean up any spills, and dispose of contaminated paper towel or rags where your dog can get to them.

If you suspect your dog has ingested ANY of this type of glue, get her to a veterinarian immediately.  Even a small amount of glue can be deadly.  Just 2-3 teaspoons turned into this 6×8″, 1lb. hard lump pictured below that had to be surgically removed.

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This video shows just how much a small amount of this glue can expand when it contacts moisture.

Update On Stanley From “Just One Dog”

Remember that painful and amazing video of the the white dog in a California shelter who had clearly given up hope?  Here’s Stanley today doing so much better. He’s recovered from eye surgery and can open his eyes without pain for probably the first time ever.  I’m so happy for Stanley.  I just wish every dog were so lucky.

Check out Stanley’s video, Just One Dog. It was made by Cathy at Camp Cocker. You can also find out about where Stanley is being fostered now in Canada.

DIY: Body-Sock Alternative To Elizabethan Cone

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We and our pets know those Elizabethan or lampshade collars are the pits. Here’s a handy do-it-yourself alternative for protecting an incision or wound site on your pet’s torso from Instructables. You’ll find good instructions for making a body sock or “cat jacket” out of an old t-shirt.

This could also be used on dogs, rabbits, ferrets, etc. It might not be enough to stop an obsessive pet from messing with their stitches, but I think it would work with a lot of pets. A side benefit could be that wearing this body sock might help curtail their activity, which is another post-surgery need. Try it out!

Check out these other alternatives to Elizabethan collars: