Public Works
Animal Control
Antifreeze Dangers
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For a medium sized dog, ingestion of about 2 ounces (3-4 tablespoons
) is toxic. For cats, as little as 1/4 of an ounce (1-2 teaspoons)
can be lethal.
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With the approach of winter most car owners
will change out or add to the antifreeze in their vehicle's
radiator, or use an antifreeze in their RV/camper drains
or septic tank. The main ingredient in antifreeze is ethylene
glycol, an extremely toxic poison that causes kidney failure
which is often fatal in just a few days,.Antifreeze has
a sweet taste that dogs and cats like and if they find
antifreeze they will drink it. Even a small amount of antifreeze
can be fatal. If a cat walks through a puddle of antifreeze
and then licks its paws, it can ingest enough antifreeze
to cause death. About 3-4 tablespoons can kill a medium
sized dog. If you see or suspect your dog has ingested
antifreeze contact a veterinarian immediately, or rush
your pet to an emergency vet clinic. In order to prevent
the ethylene glycol from being absorbed into the liver
your veterinarian will administer an IV of ethanol which
counters the affect of the deadly ethylene glycol. The
earlier treatment is started the greater the chance of
survival. Once kidney failure develops, most pets will
die.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of antifreeze poisoning depend
upon the time after ingestion. Symptoms can begin as soon
as 30 minutes after the antifreeze has been ingested and
may last about 12 hours.
The first symptoms are:
- depressed behavior (laying still or the pet has no
interest in what is happening around it) vomiting staggering,
wobbling, appearing drunk tremors or seizures increased
thirst
- frequent urination.
After the first stage the pet may appear
to feel better but in a day or two get much worse as the
kidneys begin to fail. The amount of urine passed will
often decrease to a very small amount. At this point, the
liver will have broken down the ethylene glycol, the active
ingredient in antifreeze, changing it into more toxic substances.
Further symptoms may not be noticeable for days and irreparable
damage may be occurring. Vomiting may reoccur, as well
as loss of appetite, dehydration, inability to urinate,
salivation, seizures, mouth ulcers, coma and death.The
diagnosis of antifreeze poisoning is made by blood and
urine tests although some of these tests become negative
by the time kidney failure develops.
TREATMENT
Pets who suffer kidney failure due to
antifreeze poisoning can occasionally be saved with aggressive
treatment. Some specialty veterinary practices offer dialysis
which can be used to remove waste products that are not
being removed by the diseased kidneys in an effort to keep
the pet alive in hopes of giving the kidneys a chance to
repair. Whether the kidneys will repair themselves or not
depends on how severely they are injured. Unfortunately
the kidney damage caused by antifreeze is usually very
severe and irreversible. Kidney transplants have been performed
in dogs and cats but not all are good candidates for this
type of surgery, and lack of donor organs may prevent those
that are good candidates from having the surgery. This
is an extreme measure and the expense is usually above
what the average pet owner usually can afford.
PREVENTION
When purchasing and using antifreeze, always keep the
welfare and health of your pet in mind.
Prevention Tips
- Keep both new and used antifreeze in a sealed container,
out of reach of pets. Wipe any drips from the sides of
the container before you store it. Properly dispose of
all empty antifreeze containers and any rags used for
wiping. Immediately clean up any spills of antifreeze
on driveways and other hard surfaces. Antifreeze should
never be drained onto the ground where it can leave a
puddle.
- Another source of antifreeze are the decorative "snow
globes" glassware. The liquid in the the globes
contain 2% antifreeze and is very toxic.
There are several types of antifreeze
on the market now that are propylene glycol based. Propylene
glycol, although not entirely nontoxic, is considerably
less toxic than the ethylene glycol based antifreezes.
There are several nationally available propylene glycol
antifreezes on the market, including:
- Sierra (Safe Brands Corp., 1-800-289-7234) Sta-Clean
(Sta-Clean Products, 1-800-825-3464
- Prestone LowTox® Antifreeze/Coolant-available
at most automotive stores and department
Contact Info:
Bossier City Animal Control
3217 Old Shed Rd
Bossier City, LA 71111
Phone: 318.741.8499 - Fax: 318.741.8494
