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 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 percent-100 percent), propylene glycol n-propyl ether and isopropyl alcohol (1 percent-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 cause pet liver disorders at the product concentrations.”

Still, Procter and Gamble is addressing questions and answers on its Web site. The company assures that the ingredients used in the Swiffer WetJet are safe and reports that the warning on the label that recommends keeping the product away from children and pets is a general precaution similar to those on most cleaning products.

This story, like others clients bring to my attention, deserves a look, but I constantly tell people not to accept e-mailed stories as gospel without sound academic backing. While I can’t stop hearsay (which may be anything from a personal theory of an individual to outright corporate sabotage from a competitor), I can recommend that pet owners ask their veterinarians or an authoritative source (like a veterinary school or, in this case, the ASPCA) for verification.

Just remember, anyone can ride on the information highway.

– Dr. Chris Duke is a veterinarian at Bienville Animal Medical Center in Ocean Springs, Miss.