Pet lovers beware: there’s a hidden danger lurking in the pet supply shelves near you. Certain dental sprays and gels intended to combat tartar buildup in our dogs and cats are doing more harm than good. Some of these products contain a pure grain alcohol content of 25% or more, and that’s conservative.
Twenty-five percent alcohol is what goes into a strong mixed drink. The alcohol content in these sprays and gels only increases from there. While these treatments may be quick fixes in preventing gingivitis and periodontal disease (and are actually safer alternatives to anesthesia cleanings), they are slowly taking their toll on our pets.
Alcohol is a toxin.
In moderation, its consumption by humans is relatively safe. Shortly after ingestion, alcohol begins to be metabolized in the liver into acetic acid, which is not toxic to the human body. Kidneys soon restore homeostasis in the blood i.e. water and pH levels etc. they are balanced.
It has been suggested that since our Neolithic ancestors started partying over twelve thousand years ago, humans have developed an increasing tolerance for the hard stuff. Unfortunately for our four-legged friends, their bodies are not equipped to handle the bait in the same way that ours are.
Metabolic processes in cats and dogs are much more sensitive than in humans. This is partly a matter of evolution, but not of the naturally selective kind. Through selective breeding we’ve designed our pets to be smaller and more fragile than their cousins in the wild. In beverage jargon, this makes them “lightweights.”
So what does this mean?
It means that a spray of dental spray or a gel swab spiked with 25% pure grain alcohol administered to a one hundred and eighty pound man would register three times toxicity for a sixty pound adult black Lab.
For a twelve-pound Calico cat, it means fifteen times. And while a single application would be relatively harmless, the recommended dosages for these products generally call for two doses in the morning and two in the evening, day after day, night after night, depending on your pet’s genetic predisposition.
For animals whose metabolic systems aren’t adequate to process these toxins in the first place, one hundred and twenty doses a month really adds up. Then, after their delicate metabolisms go into overdrive trying to detoxify the first dose of grain alcohol, the instructions on the bottle instruct you to bombard them with a second, and then a third and fourth.
there are consequences
Their lives just don’t have time to recover. Your kidneys, whose filtering abilities are compromised by alcohol, don’t have time to restore homeostasis in your blood. With each subsequent dose, your workload multiplies. They have to work harder. That’s when the damage begins.
On top of that, another reason dogs and cats can’t process alcohol effectively, even in small doses, is that their livers don’t produce enough alcohol dehydrogenase. This important enzyme (found in much greater abundance in humans) is essential in the breakdown of alcohol. In fact, a cat’s liver is so ill-equipped to break down the concoction that two teaspoons of whiskey, according to Columbia Animal Hospital, is enough to put him in a coma. A single spoonful will kill them.
Of course, with these sprays and gels we’re talking much smoother amounts and potency than whiskey measured in tablespoons. But again, the culprit here is the silent type, which makes it even more dangerous.
Over time, its impact will be more noticeable. When the cat’s reflexes become less catlike, the grain alcohol has begun its assault on the central nervous system. When the dog is constantly eating grass to get sick, its gastrointestinal tract goes awry.
Don’t wait for these signs
At this point it may be too late.
But let’s not close this article on such a dark note. You see, there are alcohol-free pet dental sprays and gels (including one I highly recommend) that do the job just as well as their toxic competitors. A simple brushing once a week with some beef-flavored toothpaste and the occasional carrot (they’re wonderful for breaking down tartar, if your dog isn’t picky) also works wonders.