Antifreeze poisons pets and small children!
This is
antifreeze. It is also called ethylene glycol or engine coolant. Antifreeze is
a bright yellow or green liquid with a slightly sweet smell and taste. Antifreeze is a powerful poison, so sipping or just
licking it can kill an animal or a small child.
Antifreeze is used in motor vehicles including boats, cars, RVs, to keep them from overheating in the summer or freezing in the winter.
Antifreeze
can be spilled or leak out of vehicles when radiators and cooling lines are
damaged, resulting that pets or young children attracted to the smell lick it
up.
For pets poisoned by antifreeze, the first few
hours are critical. Animals who receive immediate veterinary
care can recover successfully—but the longer they remain untreated, the less likely
they are to survive.
Antifreeze poisoning occurs in two phases. In
the first phase, the animal typically appears disoriented, uncoordinated
and groggy. Symptoms usually appear 30 minutes to
one hour after ingestion and can last for several hours. If your pet is
behaving this way, don't delay. Call a veterinarian. Consider whether any of
her activities could have brought her into contact
with antifreeze. The second phase, which can last up to three days, is
characterized by symptoms such as vomiting, kidney failure and coma.
Make sure that your pet is not a victim of antifreeze poisoning and please leave comment to what you would like to know about next!
