Gorilla Glue

Recently this topic came up again here at the FVARC so I thought it would be a great time to share this article that was published in a past newsletter.  Enjoy

Gorilla Glue^®: A Sticky, Time-Sensitive Emergency

Recently Dr. Dale Weihing treated “Annie,” a two year old female spayed Springer spaniel who ingested a mall amount of Gorilla Glue^®. The owners contacted poison control who recommended she be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately.

On physical exam, Annie had a large, firm palpable mass in her cranial abdomen. Abdominal distention was present. No vomiting was reported. Radiographs revealed a distended stomach with an organized, mottled soft tissue-and-gas opacity foreign body in the gastric lumen.

Emergency surgery was recommended and approved. A large gastrotomy was performed to remove the foreign body, and Annie recovered uneventfully.

Certain polyurethane wood glues such as Gorilla Glue^® and Elmers Probond^® contain diphenylmethane diisocyanate as the active ingredient. This hygroscopic substance reacts with water and expands to 3–4 times its original volume when ingested, creating a firm, non-digestible foreign body that can cause esophageal or gastric obstructions.

These products go through an exothermic “curing” process which helps set the glue. When diisocyanate comes into contact with warm acidic liquid (i.e. gastric acid), a hazardous polymerization reaction occurs— producing heat, CO₂, and urea. The compound swells up (absorbing liquid from the stomach) and forms a foam-like mass. Formation of the foreign body is thought to be within minutes of ingestion.

Dogs that lick very small amounts of product or eat paper towels with fresh glue on them may not have foreign bodies, but can have mild, transient GI signs. Clinical signs of liquid glue ingestion include vomiting, hematemesis, and abdominal distention and pain. Physical exam and plain radiographs often reveal a firm mass in the cranial abdomen.

The current treatment recommendation is to retrieve the foreign body via gastrotomy. Smaller foreign bodies have been removed via enterotomy or monitored for passage through the GI tract. The glue does not stick to gastrointestinal mucosa. Anecdotal reports of attempts to “push” the glue through the GI tract by bulking the diet have not been successful; in most cases the food or bulking agent becomes trapped in the “glue-bezoar” rather than pushing the foreign body through. Additionally, attempts at rapidly “diluting” the glue with liquids or food to prevent expansion and foreign body formation have not worked. Inducing emesis is not recommended due to the risks of esophageal obstruction and aspiration into the lungs.

The prognosis for Gorilla Glue^® ingestion is good with prompt surgical intervention. Left untreated, esophageal and gastric ulceration or rupture is possible.

Coleman, D: Stomach Cast After Ingestion of Gorilla Glue (from VIN) 2/9/06. Richardson, J, Rishniw, M: Gorilla Glue: Medical FAQs (from VIN). Shell, L: Gorilla Glue (from VIN) 2/10/06. D. Weihing, DVM (personal communication, 11/10/06). Wismer, T: Hot Topics in Clinical Toxicology (from VIN) per: Proceedings, IVECCS2004.

More from Healthy Advice from the Pro's

Here are a few more helpful "Q & A's" that were previously published in Healthy Advice from the Pro's:

My Chihuahua has developed cataracts and is now blind. Is there hope 

for her to see again?

The first step is to ask your veterinarian for a referral to a Board 

Certified veterinary ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist will perform 

a thorough eye exam and blood tests to determine if your Chihuahua is 

a good candidate for surgery. Cataract surgery may indeed restore her 

vision. Dogs with cancer, uncontrolled diabetes, or other eye disease 

may not be the best candidates for the surgery.

My cat's eye is swollen and red. Is it okay to use eye drops that I have from my own eye injury?

No. Swollen red eyes could be due to corneal ulcers or scratches, foreign material trapped (near) the eye, decreased tear production, inflammation of the surrounding tissue (conjunctivitis), or infectious diseases. The treatment will vary depending on the cause of the redness and swelling; therefore, though humans and animals use similar medication, you need to be sure of the diagnosis before instituting treatment

Keith Montgomery DVM Dip ACVO

Q & A

This past summer we ran a series of "Q&A's" in the Appleton Post Crescent, in case you did not catch them in the paper, we will re post them on this blog:

My dog has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Should I consider surgery?

Hip dysplasia is condition that dogs are born with where the ball and socket joint does not “fit” together as well as it should. Hip dysplasia causes variable clinical signs depending on severity, age, concurrent orthopedic disease, physical conditioning, etc.  If your dog is in significant pain or has failed medical management, surgical options are available that will likely improve quality of life and discomfort. There are numerous procedures available depending on age, body size, and athletic needs. A consultation with a board certified surgeon can give you an idea of the surgical options and can also help you decide if and what procedure is best for your dog.

Joseph Frank, DVM

Diplomate- American College of Veterinary Surgeons- Small Animal

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My cat's eye is swollen and red. Is it okay to use eye drops that I have from my own eye injury?

No. Swollen red eyes could be due to corneal ulcers or scratches, foreign material trapped (near) the eye, decreased tear production, inflammation of the surrounding tissue (conjunctivitis), or infectious diseases. The treatment will vary depending on the cause of the redness and swelling; therefore, though humans and animals use similar medication, you need to be sure of the diagnosis before instituting treatment. 

Keith Montgomery DVM 
Diplomate  American College Veterinary Ophthalmologist 

Meet Kelly

The client service team is the back bone of any veterinary office.  They are the first people to greet the clients and usually the last one they see before leaving. In our series of blogs, we will introduce our staff.  Let's start with Kelly.  (The following is written by Kelly herself, she was featured in our last newsletter)

Hi, I'm Kelly Geiger.  I have been working as a receptionist at the Fox Valley Animal Referral Center for 7 1/2 years. Boy, I can’t believe it’s been 7 1/2 years already. I guess time does fly by when you are having fun! I went to school to become an office assistant and I found the perfect job. I absolutely love what I do.

I really enjoy meeting new people and their pets.  
I try my hardest to make their visit as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. A lot of our clients are first timers, and it can be very scary and stressful coming to a new facility. I love our clients and their pets that we see on a daily basis. I also enjoy talking to our referring Veterinarians and their staff. They are very caring and compassionate, and they want the absolute best for their clients and their pets. We have a fantastic Veterinary community here in the Fox Valley!

At home, I have an outgoing and stubborn 2 year old son, Trent. He is always keeping my husband and I on the go, morning to night. What I enjoy in my sparetime, (when I get any) is gardening, bird watching, and going on adventures with my family. Who knows what the weekend will bring for the Geiger Family. Everyday, my son and I like to go outside and feed the birds and the little critters. As of right now, Trent’s favorite little critter is Charlie the Chipmunk.