Re: Sierra Anti Freeze

[LCSCHADT@aol.com]

Scott,

You missed one point in my comments - the article I referred to was by the
COMPETITION, the COMPETITION conceded that Sierra's toxicity for pets was
measured in ounces (without mentioning that their product's [ethylene
glycol's] toxicity was measured in teaspoons).  In actual fact the toxicity
may be measured in CUPS  - see comments below.

Over the years I have met people who have lost pets to the ingestion of
ethylene glycol spills whose amounts were about an ounce or two - if that had
been Sierra that would not have been a lethal amount (if the COMPETITION'S
comments about Sierra are correct).  Admittedly, the owners (and all of us
should) clean up any spill, no matter how small - but what about the water
pump leak that you discover THE NEXT MORNING by the small puddle it left in
the garage that your car shares with your pets, OR THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN
NOTICE THAT YOU LEFT ON YOUR FRIENDS DRIVEWAY??

I have just finished talking with the State of Washington Poison Control
Center, whose Poisondex lists Sierra Antifreeze.  Their listing does not
consider the added ingrediants to afford significant toxicity, and
referrences the management of Sierra Antifreeze ingestion to the propylene
glycol component (which is listed at 93%-96% of the volume).

According to the Poisondex, the LD-50 for propylene glycol (dose at which
death occurs in 50% of subjects) is 30 gms/kg (for a 150 lb adult, that would
amount to over 2 liters [or 2 quarts = 1/2 gallon]).  For a 22 lb dog (10
kg), that would be about 10 oz.  For ethylene glycol a lethal amount might be
reached with 1-2 oz.

The 10 oz is 1) less likely to be overlooked or ignored, and 2) less likely
to be consumed in it's entirety.

I'll see if I can find any listings in the medical or veterinary literature
about ACTUAL  toxic experience from Sierra.

The additional ingrediants (except for water at 2-3%) are in trace amounts
(tenths or hundreths of a percent), and are relatively innocuous in their own
right (Sodium Borate, Sodium Molibdinate, Sodium Nitrite, etc.).  The pH is
9.0 - 10.0, not sufficiantly alkaline to cause significant injury to mucous
membranes.

Unless the literature shows up something different (and if it does, I would
think that the Poisondex - which is updated monthly - would have reflected
it), it would seem that Sierra's claims have some actual foundation.