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  • 2022-12-09 (xsd:date)
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  • Do Snow Globes Contain the Antifreeze Chemical Ethylene Glycol, Which Is Dangerous to Pets and Kids? (en)
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  • In December 2022, we received mail from readers that asked if the clear liquid inside of holiday snow globes contained the antifreeze ingredient ethylene glycol, which, if ingested, can be deadly to cats, dogs, and other pets. After a brief search, we were able to conclude that some snow globes do contain the chemical, and that it absolutely can kill animals, as well as children, too. This wouldn't be our first fact check on the subject of snow globes. In the past, we looked into a rumor that claimed the first snow globe was created by accident. Was this true? Here's the answer. We also previously published a fact check about a similar rumor that claimed a kitten died after ingesting ethylene glycol that had purportedly been sprayed on a Christmas tree purchased from Home Depot. In this story, we'll lay out facts from credible sources and will talk about why readers chose this moment to ask about the subject. We'll also delve into the dangers that ethylene glycol poses to children. As for the claim regarding ethylene glycol's dangers to animals, it's true that some, but not all, snow globes include a percentage of the chemical, which is a highly-toxic substance to all pets, according to an article from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). A second article from the ASPCA educated readers that ethylene glycol is a chemical ingredient in antifreeze, and that the sweet smell can attract pets to taste it, leading to potentially fatal intoxication. We found a seemingly endless number of authoritative veterinary sources that expressed the same warnings about snow globes containing the antifreeze ingredient ethylene glycol and how ingesting it could be fatal to dogs, cats, and other pets. For just one example, in 2007, Dr. Marc Smith of Natchez Trace Veterinary Services advised in The Tennessean newspaper that the liquid inside some snow globes contains 2 percent ethylene glycol. Smith also provided facts not just about the chemical in snow globes, but also the dangers of antifreeze: More examples that expressed this very same guidance and sequence of symptoms can be found in newspaper archives from past decades on Newspapers.com. The reason why readers were asking us about this subject in December 2022 was because of a story that had recently been posted on Facebook. On Dec. 8, 2022, The Mirror reported on a dog trainer, Caroline Osbourn, who was left heartbroken after a Christmas snow globe killed her dogs. We found the original Facebook post from Dec. 6 on a page named K9ology - Dog Psychology & Training: We reached out to the Facebook page to learn more and will update this story if we receive additional details. As for the chemical's dangers to humans, the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) published that the ingestion of ethylene glycol can also kill children: In sum, it's true that some snow globes contain the antifreeze chemical ethylene glycol, which can be deadly to dogs, cats, and other pets, as well as children. Note: The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's phone number for emergencies is 888-426-4435. For children and adults, the number for the Poison Control hotline from the National Capital Poison Center is 800-222-1222. (en)
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