Dangerous Snow Globes

[Patti]

I want to warn everyone who loves their cats and dogs about the dangers of snow globes. I had a big one sitting on my table for Christmas..During the early morning hours when I was sleeping the cats knocked it on the floor and it smashed on the pergo floor. When I got up there was liquid all over which looked like water. But as I discovered too late it was not all water. I cleaned it up and didn’t think much about it until almost two days later when I found my three-year-old cat Peekaboo unconscious and having seizures. I rushed her to the emergency vet. They said her kidney values were through the roof and they could not save her. In going over what could have happened I thought about the broken snow globe. I researched the Internet and found out that that many have anti-freeze in them! Neither my vet nor the emergency vet were aware of this. If treatment is not started for anti freeze ingestion for cats within two hours it’s likely to be fatal. They said cats and dogs often lick it because it has a sweet taste. My vet said it only takes thtee licks to be fatal to a cat. But it gets worse. Another one of my cats began vomiting around the same time I discovered her. I took him in and although he was not having seizures and he was responsive and looked normal his kidney values were also extremely high. He is now hospitalized and in a critical care center but they said his prognosis is poor. The antifreeze is just too toxic to the kidneys which become enlarged and full of crystals. The vets at critical care were aware of these snow globes and said they are still being sold today. I am trying to spread the word to save somebody else the misery I have gone through. The worst ones are the ones from overseas. They put the antifreeze in to keep them from cracking in cold rides on boats. If you have any of these snow globes and have cats I would suggest you put them up very high or get rid of them entirely. This is going to be a very sad Christmas for me without my Peekaboo and it looks like I will lose my Guy as well. I have several other cats that were also in the area and I’m watching them carefully. The vet said since it’s been almost a week and they’re not sick that hopefully we are outside of that window. The guilt and pain I have been feeling about this is great. I pray it doesn’t happen to anybody else. 😿😿

[Karen]

Oh, Patti, our hearts break for you. Thank you for sharing this information, I had no idea!

[cats4ever]

I am so sorry, Patti! This is every pet parent's worst nightmare.
I am so grateful for your post to get everybody informed.
I hope that Guy pulls through! I know this is easy for me to say, but please don't feel guilty. There was no way you could have known.

[mon]

This could not be more dreadful, bless you for trying to save others from this by sharing. I will never have one now, I have bought many for gifts over the years the years but they were for one family with no pets. I sure didn't know there was anti freeze in them either. We are so sorry for your loss and grief. Take guilt off the menu please, you had no idea. Again, sending deepest sympathy at this heartbreaking time, our hearts go out to you and wishing you love and support. Pet talkers are always here to talk to when you need us!

[phesina]

Dear Patti,

How horrible! I am so very sorry. Deepest sympathy to you on your loss of your dear Peekaboo, and my wishes and hopes and prayers that Guy will make it.

I got one, a "Christmas Cats Snowglobe," sent to me by surprise recently. I hadn't ordered it, and I haven't heard from anyone saying they were sending it to me. It's on the window ledge, where my Sparkler can't get to it anyway. I haven't turned on the mechanism that will play "We wish you a merry Christmas" and I guess get the snow going around and falling. I don't intend to.

I just checked. Sure enough, there are danger warnings on the bottom of it and the box, saying "Do not ingest liquid, contains anti-freeze."

I don't know what to do with this thing now. I'm thinking of maybe bringing it to the vet clinic to use to warn people about the antifreeze danger with these. Or the local Humane Society, where I am volunteering tomorrow, for the same purpose.

Thank you for the warning, and thanks for your work to get the word out. This is something that I don't think many people know about. I sure didn't! I will pass the word where I can.

Pat

[Felicia's Mom]

I am sorry for your loss of Peekaboo.
Prayers and positive thoughts that Guy will make it.
Thank you for telling us.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

OMG, I had no idea of how bad these snowglobes are....
I don't have any, but daughter of my nice collecte snowglobes...
They have a cat too!

Any idea if the liquid is also dangerous for kids?

I'm so sorry for your cats Peekaboo and Guy

[Karen]

OMG, I had no idea of how bad these snowglobes are....
I don't have any, but daughter of my nice collecte snowglobes...
They have a cat too!

Any idea if the liquid is also dangerous for kids?

I'm so sorry for your cats Peekaboo and Guy

Absolutely - antifreeze is toxic for humans as well.