I boarded my two dogs while I went to a family reunion.
When I returned I found that they were unusually lethargic, and had foot pad sensitivity. Within hours I discovered that they have bloody footpads. I took them to my vet. Long story made short: they had painful chemical burns that took a long time to heal. The cause apparently was the disinfectant (D-128) which was used in the kennel. The receptionist where the dogs were boarded admitted to my vet that they had used the disinfectant for only a few weeks and had discontinued its use because the dogs were having "allergic reactions" to it. I documented the injuries and my treatment expense, researched the disinfectant and presented a demand for reimbursement (on which I never collected any $$$).
The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), one of two active ingredients in D-128, a category one pesticide which is highly toxic. It can cause corrosive skin effects with “destruction into the dermis and/or scarring.” It is included on the list of PAN Bad Actor Pesticides, which identifies it as one of the most toxic pesticides in the world. There have been no U.S. National Toxicology Program acute toxicity studies for didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. However, there have been a number of toxicity studies of the effects of the chemical on aquatic organisms. Notably those studies show the following effects:
(1) Biochemical effects to glucose levels in starry flounder and various species of coho salmon;
(2) Biochemical effects to hematocrit, hemoglobin, lactate, leucocrit, and sodium levels in starry flounder and various species of coho salmon; and
(3) Hormonal effects to cortisol levels In rainbow trout and various species of coho salmon.
Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and dimethyldioctadecyl-ammonium bromide (DDAB), have been shown to cause genotoxic effects in mammalian and plant cells. DDAC is the structural equivalent of DDAB. Researchers speculate that the compounds may cause chromosome breakage in rats.
In doing my research I learned that Febreeze had attempted to register the use of one of these chemicals (DDAC) and had in fact at ne point incorporated it in its formulation. There is a rather lengthy opinion citing extensive research by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials.
DDAC is a quaternary ammonium chemical compound and many of the problems associated with its use are also related to other chemical compounds with a similar chemical structure.
Personally, I wouldn't have the stuff anywhere around my animals. There is no Febreeze in my home.
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