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The chemical is an ingredient in some, but not all, snow globes.
A rumor circulating online during the 2024 holiday season claimed the clear liquid inside of snow globes contained ethylene glycol -- an ingredient in antifreeze. That chemical, if ingested, can be deadly to cats, dogs and other pets.
For example, on Dec. 11, the Penobscot Veterinary Services Facebook page posted a list of common Christmas and holiday decorations harmful to pets. The post mentioned glass ornaments and electrical cords connected to Christmas lights and other decorations, as well as candles and snow globes. For snow globes, the post read, "Snow globes - [Can] be toxic if broke open. The liquid inside of a snow globe often contains ethylene glycol which is the same toxin found in antifreeze." Other Facebook users also shared the same general advice about snow globes in 2024, as did several additional users in 2023.
It's true some snow globes contain the ethylene glycol, and that the chemical can be fatal to animals and children.
In this article, we've examined facts about snow globes from credible sources, as well as the danger the chemical poses to children.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), some snow globes do indeed include a percentage of ethylene glycol. "Some snow globes contain ethylene glycol, a highly toxic substance to all pets," the ASPCA reported. "If a snow globe is broken, the sweet smell can attract a pet to lick it up, leading to a potentially fatal intoxication. Keep these out of paws' reach!"
A second article from the ASPCA also educated readers about the subject, publishing, "Snow globes are made with ethylene glycol, the same chemical used in antifreeze, which is highly toxic to all pets. If a snow globe breaks, the sweet smell can attract pets to taste it, leading to potentially fatal intoxication. So, be sure to keep them away from pets and thoroughly clean up any accidental breakages."
We located numerous authoritative veterinary sources expressing the same warnings about snow globes containing ethylene glycol and how ingesting the chemical could be fatal to dogs, cats and other pets.
For example, in 2007, Dr. Marc Smith of Natchez Trace Veterinary Services advised in The Tennessean newspaper that the liquid inside some snow globes contains 2 percent ethylene glycol. Smith also provided facts not just about the chemical in snow globes but also the dangers of antifreeze:
Another source of ethylene glycol is decorative snow globes. The liquid inside contains 2 percent ethylene glycol. Shattered globes can be toxic to small dogs and cats. If veterinary treatment is not begun within a few hours of ingestion, one teaspoon of ethylene glycol can be fatal to a 10-pound cat, while one to two tablespoonfuls can kill a 10-pound dog.
Antifreeze poisoning occurs in stages. In the first stage the animal appears intoxicated, stumbling, depressed and/or vomiting. The first stage can last from 30 minutes to a few hours. The second stage is characterized by intermittent seizures, increased urinations and excessive thirst.
Finally, the kidneys will begin to shut down and 36-72 hours after ingestion the animal may slip into a coma. The longer treatment is delayed the more damage to the kidneys, thus the greater chance of the intoxication proving fatal.
If you suspect antifreeze poisoning, contact a vet immediately. This is not a "wait-and-see" situation.
We noted more examples expressing this same guidance and sequence of symptoms in newspaper archives from past decades on Newspapers.com.
A story posted on Facebook in December 2022 originally inspired some reader inquiries to Snopes about this rumor.
On Dec. 8, 2022, The Mirror reported on a dog trainer, Caroline Osbourn, "left heartbroken" after a Christmas snow globe led to her dogs' deaths.
The original Facebook post appeared on Dec. 6 on a page named K9ology - Dog Psychology & Training:
I will be in touch with all clients at some point, but unfortunately all sessions this week are cancelled.
Yesterday we lost two of our dogs. One had managed to pull a Christmas snow globe from the shelf and as fast as I got to them and was wiping them and the floor, the liquid was everywhere.
The liquid didn't feel like water, so I googled snow globes and saw that some have antifreeze in them. I rang our vets who said to ring the toxology helpline. I did this and they said to get them to the vets straightaway, so I called them back and they saw them.
Treatment begun very quickly; induced vomiting, antidote and then they were put on drips as a precaution. With antifreeze poisoning the window for treatment is very slim, but we all acted fast.
Regardless 28 hours later Lexi passed away, followed by Milo 6 hours after.
I never knew some snow globes contained antifreeze. It only takes a very small amount to poison a dog or cat, and it's poisonous for us too. The liquid is apparently sweet, so pets will lick it.
Please if you have any snow globes be careful with them. I wouldn't wish this in my worst enemy.
The following year, in 2023, the page's owner updated the post, attributing the dogs' deaths allegedly to the emergency veterinary care received after ingesting the snow-globe liquid.
As for the chemical's dangers to humans, the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reported the ingestion of ethylene glycol can also be fatal to children:
Effects may be seen within minutes manifesting as inebriation, nystagmus, seizures, paralysis and coma. Sequelae include tachycardia, hypertension, calcium oxalate crystal formation in the urine and an anion gap metabolic acidosis. Hypoxia, congestive heart failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome can occur. After 24 h, renal symptoms typically predominate, which if left untreated, can lead to death from multi-organ failure.
For further reading, we reported about a rumor that claimed the first snow globe was created by accident. We also published a fact check about a similar rumor claiming a kitten died after ingesting ethylene glycol purportedly sprayed on a Christmas tree purchased from Home Depot.