The Windsor Journal

As the weather cools and people prepare for the cold
months ahead, antifreeze poisoning
becomes more common.
Antifreeze poisoning is one
of the most common forms of
poisoning in small animals,
and this is because it is so commonly
found in households.
Antifreeze poisoning typically
happens when antifreeze drips
from a car’s radiator, where it
is licked off the ground and
ingested by a pet. Your dog
may also come into contact
with antifreeze that has been
added to a toilet bowl. This
occurs in homes where the residents
will use antifreeze during
the cold months to "winterize"
their pipes. Even if you
do not take this action in your
own home, it is something to
be aware of when visiting other
homes, or when vacationing at
a winter residence.
It is the toxin ethylene glycol
that makes antifreeze
lethal. Ethylene glycol is sweet,
and because of this, dogs will
consume great quantities of it
before being repulsed by its
aftertaste. By then, it is too
late. It does not take a significant
amount of ethylene glycol
to cause fatal damage to the
system; less than three ounces
(or 88 ml) of antifreeze is sufficient
to poison a mediumsized
dog. Antifreeze poisoning
affects the brain, liver, and kidneys.
Ethylene glycol is also found
in engine coolant and
hydraulic brake fluids.
Symptoms
Some common signs of
antifreeze poisoning in dogs
and cats include:
• Drunken behavior
• Euphoria/Delirium
• Wobbly, uncoordinated
movement
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Excessive urination
• Diarrhea
• Rapid heart beat
• Depression
• Seizures
• Fainting
Treatment
Successful treatment
requires that your pet be seen
as soon as possible and you
must rush it to a veterinary
hospital. A facility that specializes
in emergency care
such as the New England
Veterinary Center is best prepared
to administer antidotes
to the poison, such as activated
charcoal to prevent further
absorption of the toxin, and 4-
methylpyrazole, which can
treat antifreeze poisoning very
effectively if given shortly after
the consumption of antifreeze.
Your dog may need to be held
in intensive care to prevent
kidney failure.
Dogs that have consumed
antifreeze in very small quantity
may survive, but will develop
kidney failure within days
of ingestion. Unfortunately,
death due to kidney damage is
common among animals that
have been poisoned by
antifreeze.
Prevention
Antifreeze poisoning can be
easily avoided by following a
few simple precautions:
1. Keep antifreeze containers
tightly closed and stored
out of the reach of pets.
2. Take care not to spill
antifreeze, and if it is spilled,
ensure that it is immediately
and thoroughly cleaned up.
3. Dispose of used
antifreeze containers properly.
4. Check the radiator of
your car regularly, and repair
leaks immediately.
5. Do not allow your dog
to wander unattended where
there is access to antifreeze
(e.g., roads, gutters, garages,
and driveways).
6. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has labeled
propylene glycol safe and it is
now used for antifreeze. Look
for antifreeze with this ingredient
instead, to keep your pet
safer from accidental poisoning.

Share this post