This week's Toxicology Tuesday is an easy one, to get you started.
Toxic or Not?
Answer: Extremely toxic to both dogs and cats.
I would hope no one would get this one wrong. The active ingredient in antifreeze, ethylene glycol, breaks down into chemicals that cause permanent kidney failure by binding to the renal tubules. If detected early enough, there is an antidote, but once the signs of kidney failure are apparent, it is universally fatal.
If you see your pet licking at spilled antifreeze, don’t wait, take it immediately to your veterinarian or the local veterinary emergency service. It only takes ½ tablespoon of antifreeze to kill a 10 lb. cat or 2 to 4 tablespoons for a 20 lb. dog. The same advice holds true even if you only suspect your pet may have ingested this toxin, particularly if it acts “drunk,” since staggering and disorientation are early symptoms, as are increased thirst and increased urination.
Antifreeze has a sweet taste that dogs and children find appealing. Currently in
10 comments:
Toxic!
Hell's bells- YES! Toxic.
Totally toxic and, if I remember correctly, sweet to the taste so a real danger to animals and probably kids who aren't going to taste and say, "Blech!"
I know this one too well. Had a cat a long time ago, who got locked in the garage overnight, and got into some.
It causes kidney failure, doesn't it?
Toxic for sure.
This is a great idea Katdoc!
Toxic.
Your Joey is like a pale shadow of my... littleorangeguy.
-Sara
Boy, you guys are good! I was going to wait until Wed to put up the answer, but you are all so fast and so well-informed. Everyone wins! Bonus points go to Liza Lee for knowing antifreeze is sweet, and to Susan for knowing it causes kidney failure.
Special note to you moms out there: Because antifreeze IS sweet, little kids may drink it. (Kinda looks like Mt. Dew, don't you think?) I don't have the stats in front of me, but I believe it is a common poison in pediatrics as well as in vet med.
Next week, I'll have to try for something harder!
~Kathi
This was an easy one - look forward to the tough questions!
Well I agreed with everyone else even though the answer was already posted.
BTW, speaking of toxic, Libby ate a Raid ant bait the other day. Not all of it, but chewed it up and got a small bit of the bait. We panicked for a bit but she's fine. Didn't even get sick. Now Robbie is calling her 'Ant' (aunt) Libby.
Thanks sooooo much for your comment about the Raid Ant Bait. I left my husband alone with the baby and 2 dogs and all hell's breaking loose!
This was my fourth phone call about what's happening at home. Now he thinks that the dogs are poisoned because of a chewed up ant trap.
I couldn't find anything conclusive from Raid.
Thank you, Thank you!!
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