CITRILUX PET SHAMPOO: A WARNING!

This is a story that illustrates the point that natural alternatives are not always safer.  The pet, a beloved Pomeranian named “Ginger”, nearly succumbed to a reaction to the natural chemicals in Citrilux Shampoo, marketed by Pet Edge as “solves flea and itching problems naturally!” Here is the story in Ginger’s owner’s words:

A professional groomer that I hired for the first time, groomed my dog on July 19,2012.  The shampoo name is Citrilux by Petedge. This shampoo contains d-limonene and pennyroyal oil in it.   Two ingredients that are extremely noted and studied for being very harmful to dogs, especially if not used properly. 

On July 21,2012 my dog had red and inflamed skin all over.  Our vet saw her and treated her for what he believed was a slight reaction to something.  A couple days later my dog got so ill she was referred to our local Vet specialty hospital where she was in ICU, diagnosed with vasculitis.  They did a skin biopsy and it showed evidence of a drug reaction to topical shampoo. A couple days later, my dog also had to be placed in an oxygen chamber because her lungs filled up with blood.  The internal medicine vet put her survival rate at a 10.  Our family was devastated with this news.

  I spoke with the groomer about my dog's reaction and she just keeps saying “wow how bizarre”.  I know she did not intentionally want to harm my dog but when she used a product within her service, she represents it.  She really should have done what I did and researched the ingredients and she would have found out what I the lay person found out -  That these natural ingredients are toxic to dogs and is known to burn skin and in some cases have a fatal outcome.  Thank God my dog fought for her life and is still with me and my family today.  We are nursing her back to health one day at a time.

So whether you are a consumer or a pet groomer, please read and inform yourself about the ingredients of a pet shampoo.  Especially if you are a professional groomer, be more cautious about the products you are using on our “family members”, it may cause harm, because remember the ingredients are not regulated by anyone.

GINGER IN ICU AT VET

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT CITRILUX SHAMPOO

            The more I look at the Pet Edge website and how this shampoo is marketed, the more angry I get.  I must confess that the irresponsible marketing of “natural” products as safer or better alternatives is a pet peeve of mine. Citrilux pet shampoo is a Top Performance brand of shampoo, manufactured by Pet Edge.  Here is how the product is described on the Pet Edge website:

The specially developed, proven formula Top Performance® Citrilux® Shampoo contains 5% d-Limonene, extract of pennyroyal, eucalyptus bark, aloe vera, and other natural oils.

•                Leaves a pleasant citrus scent

•                Excellent sudsing action.

•                Solves flea and dry, itching skin problems

•                Formulated with natural oils, aloe vera, and eucalyptus bark

This full-strength pet shampoo formula is ready to use. Safe for use with organophosphates and carbamate-based insecticides. Citrilux®Shampoo is safe for puppies and kittens over 12 weeks old. Available in 17 oz., Gallon, and 2.5 Gallon sizes.

What is d-Limonene?  A component of citrus oil, most commercial d-Limonene is a by-product of the orange juice manufacturing process.  This chart shows the process:

 It is unknown from the manufacturer’s information, whether the d-Limonene in Citrilux is food grade or technical grade.  It probably does not matter.  What does matter, however, is that d-Limonene in its full strength form is known as a skin and eye irritant.  All safety documents and MSDS for d-Limonene carry warnings about this, yet the MSDS and safety information for Citrilux Shampoo has no mention of the potential for skin irritation.  It does mention eye irritation. 

            Five percent d-Limonene is a lot.  D-Limonene has many uses, including as a cleaner and degreaser.  It is a powerful solvent and defatting agent.  In her book, Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals, Kristin Leigh Bell recommends that essential oils be used no more than 1-2% in direct application to animals. 

            There’s more: d-Limonene easily oxidizes in the presence of air and degrades into an oxidized form that has been identified as a potent skin sensitizer (causes allergic reaction).  This can happen from improper handling or storage of the chemical, or during normal use of a product containing the chemical.  Shampoo products are constantly exposed to air as they are opened and used.  As more empty space is created in a bottle, more air is trapped and serves to oxidize the d-Limonene.  We don’t know if the Citrilux shampoo contains any anti-oxidants to prevent this process.  Another good example of why pet groomers need full disclosure of product ingredients!

Pennyroyal. Why is this highly toxic substance still showing up in pet products?  While it is an effective insect repellant, it is also high in ketones making it dangerous for animals, and the main chemical component, pulegone,  can cause abortion.  It is just NOT SAFE.  Click here  to read my article on this substance written seven years ago.  Or click here  to read something from a botanical website.  The use of Pennyroyal at all seems irresponsible, and to use it in a product that contains d-Limonene, a defatting agent that attacks the skin barrier function, seems doubly so.  The d-Limonene may allow the Pennyroyal to penetrate the skin and enter the blood stream.  Have there been any studies of the combined effect of these two substances?  Not that I could find. 

Eucalyptus Bark.  HMM!  I have never seen Eucalyptus BARK as an ingredient in a liquid product.  Mostly Eucalyptus is an essential oil from leaves.  There are hundreds of varieties of Eucalyptus, each of which has its own chemical profile.  To make a more elucidative comment, we would need to know which variety and if we are really talking about bark or distilled oil.  One thing to keep in mind: some varieties of Eucalyptus oil contain significant amounts of limonene and linalool, which might act as a synergizer for the d-Limonene. 

Summary and Comments.

            What has me most outraged is that the manufacturer of this product would state that it is “Safe for use on puppies and kittens over 12 weeks old”.  On what basis do they make this claim? It certainly was not safe for little Ginger.  They do not back up this claim with reference to any safety studies.  Chances are, there were none.  Safety studies are not required for pet products.  There is plenty of evidence of the toxicity of Pennyroyal, and growing evidence that d-Limonene can be toxic to cats.  All MSDS of d-Limonene make a point of its potential for skin irritation and include safe handling warnings about possible oxidation.  The use and handling suggestions for Citrilux contain no warnings that some animals might be irritated or information about avoiding constant exposure to air. 

            It would seem that Citrilux shampoo has been made available to fill the demand for more natural products and is marketed on the false assumption that “if it’s natural it must be safe.”  It also seems clear that the formulator of this product did not give a wink to the complexity of the chemistry involved in the use of essential oils.  Botanical ingredients are used as though they are totally benign.  We use these natural ingredients as though they are less chemical, when actually they are sometimes more chemically complex than synthetic ingredients.  Formulators, shampoo manufacturers, and sales reps need to do their homework on the complexities of these natural ingredients.  They need to be forthcoming with complete ingredient information and their usage and safety recommendations need to reflect the chemical nature of their natural ingredients. 

8/29/12 Addendum - Here is what Ginger's owner writes about her experience in contacting Pet Edge about her dog's reaction to the Citrilux:

When I called PetEdge the receptionist told me that I needed to tell my story to one of their techs.  So I did and he said that he would have the owner give me a call back, so he took my name and number.  I NEVER heard back from them.  The groomer that used this shampoo on my Ginger called me and told me that PetEdge never heard of me when she called to complain.  Hmmm?  I told the groomer that the EPA emailed me that it does not recommend d-limonene to be used on dogs or cats.  After I told her this she said that she said that my Ginger was the unlucky dog who reacted to this shampoo and she is not going to discontinue using this product, that she loves it!  How ignorant she is, sorry.  The vet specialist that took care of Ginger at the hospital said that her severe reaction was rare like one in one thousand but that it should not matter she still had a severe reaction.  My local TV channel 4(NBC) is doing a story about this.  They interviewed me last week and they will be interviewing the specialist vet on September 4th and the dermatology vet will be doing her own research and get back to me on Sept. 24th with her findings.  She believes the shampoo harmed my dog but she thinks that it is more of a negligent application that caused it, like the groomer overexposed Ginger by leaving it on too long or didn't rinse it well.  She is going to be comparing all the symptoms and evidence then put in writing her medical opinion.  A woman at the National Pesticide Institute Center told me that the Centrilux shampoo is not labeled as a flea product but contains flea insecticides/repellant, so the EPA and The FDA do not have to look at this.  She and the EPA agent have forwarded my story to the proper authorities at their regional branches.  I am also working closely with the assemblywoman Amy Paulin and trying to get a small bill passed for proper labeling and I am also working with a Humane Society attorney who is helping me.  Thank you for your help I hope this helps.