Detergents, bleaches and disinfectants are used commonly in the home, on the farm, in kennels and in veterinary practices. They are often complex chemical mixtures which have been produced for specific purposes and to meet marketing competition. Unfortunately toxicoses produced by these mixtures and products are not always predictable from the chemical and physical properties of the ingredients. Exposure is generally by accidental ingestion or surface contact. It is not possible to give a full list of all the various proprietary products and their ingredients so that a few selected groups are presented which will cover most circumstances. Serious situations should be followed up by reference to either the manufacturer or the National Poisons Information Centre, Dunedin.
Household products that are a significant poison hazard have warning labels and some are packaged in "childproof" containers. Products for industrial use are generally more concentrated than those for household use. In both cases, inadvertent or careless use markedly increases the danger.
Because most cleaning agents and disinfectants are complex mixtures, the most toxic ingredient must be evaluated when treating such a poison case. Obtaining the container of the suspected poison is an initial and essential step in the examination of the patient.
The principal ingredients of cleaning agents are soap and/or detergent (surface active agent or surfactant) which lowers the surface tension of water and allows wetting to occur. "Builders" are added to detergents to condition the water by regulating pH and ionic concentrations. Some cleaning agents such as automatic dishwashing detergents, and oven cleaners have a high alkalinity. Some agents contain pine oil, isopropyl alcohol and solvents. Oxalates are frequently found in lavatory cleaners.
These pages contain general comments about the major detergents, bleaches, antiseptics and disinfectants used in home, farm or factory. In all circumstances read labels and try to ascertain what is the active ingredient(s) of the suspected poison and then use whatever treatment common sense principles suggest.
Bloat remedies are a special class of detergent. They are much less toxic than other detergents, but as calves are much more susceptible than adult cattle, poisoning is relatively common.