The American Pit Bull Registry Newsletter

The Dangers of Anti-Freeze

Did you know that around 10,000 pets die every year from the ingestion of antifreeze. Because antifreeze consists of about 95% ethlene glycol (which is extremely toxic to both animals and humans) as little as 3-4 tablespoons can kill a dog of medium size.

Because this is the time of year that many of us change or fill up the antifreeze in our car it is crucial to properly dispose of any that may leak or otherwise be exposed to your pets. Do not make the mistake however of believing that this is the only time that they may be exposed to it. Many times when a car overheats or has a leak the overflow or leaked amount may be overlooked. This oversight can be extremely harmful or fatal in the smallest of quantities.

One particularly high risk groups for this occurrence is of those pets that are confined to garages and basements where leaks tend to accumulate and therefore those pets are at risk of exposure. Many times the pet may take the opportunity to "clean up" these leaks since this chemical tends to have a sweet smell and taste. This may happen also if the pet becomes thirsty or does not have an adequate amount of drinking water during their confinement period. These areas also tend to be used for storage and if chemicals are not stored properly may give that pet an opportunity to access them.

It is even reported that some decorative snow globes may contain enough traces of this chemical to be fatal. Because one does not usually think of these ornaments as being hazadous they are often overlooked. It is important to keep pets away from these ornaments.

If you happen to notice that your vehicle does have a leak or that you see antifreeze puddled somewhere please do the responsible thing and clean it up. One method of doing this is by spreading cat litter on it and then wiping up the spill with rags or paper towels and throwing them away in a sealed bag -- out of potential reach of animals.

Some symptoms that occur after ingestion of antifreeze are often a drunken appearance to include vomiting, disorientation, staggering, and loss of coordination. Many times such poison is not even expected due to the fact that these symptoms are often symptoms of other illness and may be overlooked by your vet. If you notice such symptoms and have even the remotest feeling that this may be the case you should ask your vet to specifically test for this poisoning which may be done with in house lab tests that they have available.

There are 2 stages to antifreeze poisoning. In the first stage a pet may have a drunken appearance within about 30 minutes of ingestion and may continue for several hours. After this stage the animal seems to recover. Stage 2 begins when the animal's liver begins to try and metabolize the antifreeze which then change the ethylene glycol into even more toxic substances. Within 12 to 36 hours the animal will slip into a coma.

Getting the pet to a vet is critical within the first 9-12 hours of ingestion. After that time hope of recovery is extremely diminished due to the level of kidney metabolism. Although the induction of vomiting may help it will not cure the pet and they must get medical treatment for hope of recovery. In the event of an emergent situation you may also call The National Poison Control Center at 1-800-548-2423 at a charge of $30 per call. The faster the medical attention occurs the better the chances of survival.

It is also important to note the behavior of other animals in your household as well. Many times due to the vomiting that may occur with ingestion this puts other pets at risk who may ingest the vomit of the affected animal and thus become sick as well.

One precautionary measure that can be taken is by using a less toxic antifreeze that is propylene glycol based. Although still toxic it is a less toxic alternative. When choosing to do this expect to pay a little more and if you have your vehicle serviced by a mechanic it will be necessary to ask for it specifically.

Many regions have this alternative available and 2 companies on the national level are Sierra (Safe Brands Corp. 1-800-289-7234) and Sta-Clean (Sta-Clean Products 1-800-825-3464).

Reprinted from the The American Pit Bull Registry Newsletter.