Yesterday I went outside to find my husband tackling a
radiator. Jury’s out on who won that round – him or the radiator – but in the
act of replacing it, copious amounts of antifreeze were unloaded into a big
round pan.
And I’d just let Allie out to help me dig holes in the
garden! EEK!
I scooped that pan up so fast (okay, not so fast that any of
it sloshed out!) and stuck it high up on a shelf where no cat or dog could
access it.
The reason for my panic is that antifreeze is deadly to
pets. If a cat were to simply walk through it and lick the antifreeze off its
paws – that’s enough to kill. And a mere 5 tablespoons of the stuff is fatal to
a medium sized dog.
Sadly, both dogs and cats – and children, too! – appear to be
drawn to antifreeze. I’m not sure what makes it seem so tasty to them, but if
allowed, they’ll drink it.
Antifreeze contains Ethylene (or Diethylene) Glycol, which
breaks down into toxic substances once processed through the liver. These toxic
substances will then cause kidney failure if not treated immediately – or
faster than that! – since absorption can occur so quickly.
Once Ethylene Glycol is ingested, it is rapidly absorbed
into the liver from the intestines, and you can begin to see symptoms as soon
as 30 minutes after your pet has been exposed. If you suspect your dog or cat
has ingested antifreeze, urgently seek emergency help.
If caught quickly enough a vet can administer a drug that
temporarily suspends liver function, allowing the antifreeze to pass through
the system without breaking down into its toxic components.
They will most
probably induce vomiting to expel any remaining antifreeze in the stomach
before it hits the intestines, as well as feeding your pet charcoal to bind to
any remaining antifreeze.
The charcoal will prevent the intestines from
absorbing the antifreeze and sending it on to the liver.
The odds that all antifreeze will be caught before
metabolizing are very slim, though, but an emergency vet can also place your
pet on dialysis to flush the kidneys and help mitigate the damaging effects of
the antifreeze. Hopefully with swift action, the kidneys will be hit with a
small enough amount of poison and they will be able to repair themselves.
The best thing you can do, though, is to practice
prevention.
Please don’t underestimate the extreme hazard of this
substance – to dogs, cats and children. Keep such harmful toxins stored safely
out of reach – and if spills occur, immediately saturate the surface with water
to dilute and disperse.
