Each pet owner had recently added antifreeze to their automobiles, and in the process, put their animals at risk. Curious cats and nosy dogs suffer antifreeze poisoning during the fall and winter months, and it doesn t take much to cause a problem. A ten-pound pet can be poisoned if he laps up less than a tablespoon of liquid from the garage floor. The operative ingredient, ethylene glycol, tastes sweet and can be attractive to cats and dogs, especially when their water bowl freezes over and there s nothing else to drink, says Sandra Sawchuk, DVM, a clinical instructor in the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Wisconsin. The body absorbs the poison very quickly, and the first symptoms are drunken behavior.
Affected pets can also develop diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased thirst, even convulsions.
Then the pet may seem to recover. But despite feeling better, the toxin continues to do damage on the inside. That s because the liver breaks down the ethylene glycol and changes it into an even more toxic substance called oxalic acid that literally eats away parts of the urinary tract and kidneys. If you see your pet drink antifreeze, get rid of the poison before it does damage by making your pet vomit. You can induce vomiting up to 20 minutes after he s swallowed the toxin.