Preventing Your Pet from Antifreeze Poisoning

Antifreeze Poisoning, caused by the chemical ingredient ethylene-glycol, is one of the most common types of household poisoning in dogs and cats. It takes very little to poison or kill you pet, sometimes only a few licks. Antifreeze poisoning has been well documented in children for decades, but pets are extremely susceptible as well. Antifreeze is an extremely sweet to taste, and for many animals the smell can be irresistible.

It is estimated that nearly 100,000 pets each year are poisoned by antifreeze, so prevention is important. First, you should be mindful of where you store your antifreeze. It should be up on a high shelf or in a closet that is sealed off from your pet. Second, you should be on the lookout for automobile antifreeze leaks on the floor of your garage or in your driveway. Antifreeze is a viscous green liquid that appears in pools underneath your car. If you see a leak, or if you accidentally spill some, immediately clean it up and repair the leak. Even small spills should be treated will extreme caution; it only takes a few teaspoons to kill a cat, and a few tablespoons for a dog. With the fluid’s likeable taste, a small puddle can be consumed relatively quickly by an eager pet. The best way to prevent poisoning death is to switch to propylene-glycol antifreeze. This liquid is still toxic, but not nearly as much as its ethylene cousin.

Be aware that one popular household decoration contains ethylene-glycol. The culprit? Snow globes. The liquid inside many snow globes contains a low percentage of ethylene-glycol antifreeze, but it is enough to seriously harm any pet who licks up the spill.

Early detection is the key to saving the life of your pet, so know what it antifreeze poisoning looks like. Poisoning presents itself in two stages. During the first stage, which appears about thirty minutes after ingestion, your dog will begin staggering, vomiting, and may appear confused or disoriented. Many people have described this as a sort of drunkenness. Your pet will also begin to drink and urinate excessively. Please note that if your pet vomits and another pet eats that vomit, the second pet will be poisoned.

After this initial stage, your pet will appear to recover. Do not be fooled, this is typical and will not last. After a time, sometimes just hours but other times up to a day later, your pet will fall ill again. Since it is important that your pet receives treatment as soon as possible, do not wait for the second stage before taking him to the vet, as waiting until the second stage hits can be a fatal move. During the second stage, your pet’s liver and kidneys will work to metabolize the poison. During the metabolic process, his organs will turn the ethylene-glycol into an even more toxic substance. With this new toxin in his system, his vital organs will shut down and he will slip into a coma. At this point, there is nothing a vet will be able to do for your pet.

Try to save some of your pet’s vomit and bring it to the vet for faster diagnosis, and communicate immediately that you believe your pet may have ingested antifreeze. Your vet will be able to test your pet for antifreeze poisoning. Some pet owners will try to induce vomiting after seeing their pet eat antifreeze to stem the poisoning, but this is ineffective and will only delay the inevitable. Once your pet ingests antifreeze, time is of the essence. The faster your pet receives care, the better his chances of making a full recovery.

See underground dog fence .