E-mail rumor turns out to be false.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Byline: Dr. Chris Duke

An Internet story has been sent out to many pet breed memberships and animal support group Web sites and mailing lists concerning the Swiffer Wetjet.

The story alleges that the Swiffer Wetjet contains harmful chemicals that can kill a pet due to liver failure. I have received telephone calls, letters and e-mails as to whether the story is true. The answer is no.

The story alleges a dog died of liver failure, and the veterinarian could not ascertain the cause. The owner was investigating the chemical makeup of household cleaning products and found that the Swiffer Wetjet contained a form of propylene glycol.

The pet owner believed that propylene caused the pet's demise. The original e-mail suggested that propylene glycol was just one molecule alteration from ethylene glycol, which is indeed toxic to humans and animals alike, usually binding up the kidneys. But propylene glycol is in many household products, and is generally harmless.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has weighed in on the issue, and is working with the parent company Proctor and Gamble to dispel the e-mail's unfounded allegation. According to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, the Swiffer WetJet System contains water (90-100 percent), propylene glycol n-propyl ether and isopropyl alcohol (1-4 percent).

Their conclusion, according to the June issue of the publication Veterinary Product News, is that "these ingredients are safe for use around pets when used to label direction, and would not ...