The component in antifreeze that poses a danger to your pet is ethylene glycol, which attacks the brain, liver, and mainly the kidneys. It could take only a teaspoon of the substance to kill cat, and less than three ounces of the stuff could be fatal for a medium-sized dog. This ethylene glycol, present in hydraulic brake fluids and engine coolant as well as in antifreeze, can trickle down to the ground from a car radiator, or it could even be found in toilet bowls when owners try to winter-proof their plumbing system. This substance appears in some cleaning products as well.
What are the signs of antifreeze poisoning? Usually, your pet will start to move unsteadily, looking like they are drunk or delirious, and they might drool. As time passes, they may eat less, vomit, have diarrhea, and urinate excessively. They could experience a wildly fast heartbeat, may appear depressed, and may be frail or even faint. It is also possible that they could have seizures or go into a coma.
The first thing to do is immediately call the veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline (1-855-213-6680). You should only try to induce vomiting if your veterinarian says to do so. When you take your pet to the veterinarian, bring the container or label of the substance your pet ingested if you can. The veterinarian can examine your pet and run chemical tests to identify the poison and the necessary antidote, such as 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP).
The best chance for your pet is to get treatment as soon as possible. If the treatment is quick, and/or the dose they ingested was small, there is a chance for recovery. Otherwise, your dog and cat could experience kidney damage or even kidney failure. If your pet suffers kidney damage, they can live if they haves excellent medical care; kidney failure means that your pet needs a kidney transplant.
How you can you prevent your pet from getting poisoned? You need to keep your antifreeze properly sealed and away from where your cat or dog could get to it. You also want to avoid any antifreeze spills, quickly cleaning up any that occur. Keep an eye on your car radiator to make sure that it is not leaking. Dogs and cats should not roam without your supervision in places where there could be antifreeze, such as in garages, around driveways, along gutters, etc. But best of all, you could avoid ethylene glycol altogether. There are products that use a different ingredient called propylene glycol. This will not harm your pets, and it still makes an effective antifreeze, according to the FDA.
Before an emergency strikes, it would be invaluable to already have a veterinarian's number on hand. You can find the health expert you need on our directory today!