Chemical
Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
Extreme emergency. Treatment must begin within hours in cats to be effective.
Life-threateningCatsDogsWildlife
AI-generated editorial illustration of the subject; not a photograph of a specific animal, product or case.
What to do right now
- 1.Go straight to an emergency veterinary hospital
- 2.Take the container if you have it
- 3.Tell the clinic you suspect antifreeze so they prepare the antidote
Symptoms
- Appearing drunk or uncoordinated
- Excessive thirst and urination
- Vomiting
- Apparent recovery followed by collapse
- Seizures
Details
- Category
- Chemical
- Toxicity
- Life-threatening
- Species affected
- Cats, Dogs, Wildlife
- Routes of exposure
- Licking spills from driveways and garages, or drinking from contaminated puddles
- Urgency
- Extreme emergency. Treatment must begin within hours in cats to be effective.
Veterinary notes and prevention
Ethylene glycol metabolites cause irreversible kidney failure. An antidote exists but the treatment window is very short, especially in cats.
Prepare the information your vet needs
- For Antifreeze (ethylene glycol), report the exposure route: Licking spills from driveways and garages, or drinking from contaminated puddles. Tell the clinic the time, possible amount and your pet's species and approximate weight.
- Photograph the packaging, ingredient list or plant if safe. Do not handle contaminated material without protection or delay the call to identify it perfectly.
- Keep other animals away from the source. An animal may appear normal before signs develop; do not wait for symptoms or calculate a home 'safe dose'.
- Follow the clinic's transport instructions. Do not give food, medicines or home remedies unless instructed, and take packaging with you if available.
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Guidance libraries and further reading
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