Dangers of Antifreeze

When the weather becomes cooler, we start thinking about the antifreeze in our cars. Many of us fill the radiator on our own. If you do your own work, don't leave open containers of antifreeze or puddles of water containing antifreeze. Ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in most brands of antifreeze, has a very sweet smell which draws animals and children to it. Even in very small amounts, ethylene glycol, is very poisonous. Less than a tablespoon of this substance can result in the death of a large dog.

Ethylene glycol is very damaging to the kidneys. It is changed by the body to crystals that actually clog the

kidneys preventing them from filtering the blood. Toxic byproducts of metabolism build up in the body causing the pet to become ill. Usually the animal becomes nauseated and begins to vomit. The brain sometimes becomes poisoned causing the animal to stumble or even seizure. The end result is almost always death if the animal is left unattended.

The end isn't always bad. There are antidotes available at your veterinarian. So if you suspect an animal has ingested antifreeze, call you veterinarian right away.