Antifreeze is the poisoning where hours decide everything. Ethylene glycol tastes sweet, so pets drink it willingly, and a very small amount can permanently damage the kidneys. The cruel part is the middle stage, when a poisoned pet looks like they have recovered. If you suspect any exposure at all, phone an emergency hospital immediately.
Why we see it once the weather turns
Every autumn, Abbotsford gets its vehicles ready for winter. Coolant gets topped up and flushed, older cars start weeping from a hose or a rad, jugs come out of the shed, and campers, boats and RVs get winterized. On an acreage there may also be tractors, quads and a workshop floor that nobody mops.
Put that together with a cold driveway and you have the classic picture: a bright green or orange puddle under a parked vehicle, a cat crossing the garage, a dog who licks it because it tastes sweet.
It is worth saying plainly. Most pets who get into antifreeze are not doing anything unusual. They are walking through a garage or drinking from a puddle on the drive.
How little it takes
This is the part that surprises people. For a cat, an amount as small as a teaspoon can be enough to cause fatal kidney damage. For a small dog it does not take much more than a mouthful. Cats are at particular risk because they walk through the spill and then clean their paws and fur, so they do not even need to drink it.
There is no safe amount to watch and see about. Any suspected contact with coolant is a phone call straight away, not a wait until morning.
The three stages, and the one that fools everybody
First few hours. The pet looks drunk. Wobbly on their feet, uncoordinated, maybe vomiting, often drinking and urinating far more than usual. Some pets seem dull or unusually sleepy. This can start within half an hour and is easy to mistake for something minor.
Roughly twelve to twenty four hours. They appear to get better. The wobbliness fades and the pet seems brighter, so the household relaxes. Underneath, the heart rate and breathing are increasing and the damage is progressing. This is the stage that costs lives, because it is when people decide they do not need the vet after all.
Day one to day three. The kidneys fail. The pet becomes very unwell, stops producing urine, refuses food, vomits, may develop mouth ulcers, and can have seizures. Cats often reach this point faster than dogs. By now the options are far narrower.
The whole reason we push so hard on the early phone call is that the useful window sits in the first stage, before a pet looks seriously ill.
What to do if you suspect antifreeze
- Phone immediately. Do not wait for signs and do not wait for morning. Tell us it is a possible coolant exposure so we can prepare before you arrive.
- Bring the container or a photo of the label. Not all coolants contain the same chemical, and knowing which one changes the urgency.
- Note the time and the amount if you can. Even a rough estimate helps.
- Never try to induce vomiting at home. It delays the part that actually helps.
- If you are not sure it happened, come anyway. A pet who was in the garage and is now unsteady is worth an hour of your evening.
We are open from noon through the night until 8 am. If something happens between 8 am and noon, while we are closed, go straight to the nearest open emergency hospital and phone them on the way. With this particular poisoning, driving somewhere now beats waiting for us to open.
What happens when you get here
Assessment comes first: hydration, heart rate, breathing, neurological checks and a look at the gums. Because the early signs are shared with several other problems, our medical services team works on the history and the timing while testing is under way.
Samples run through our diagnostics service tell us what the kidneys are doing, how the blood chemistry looks, and whether crystals have started to appear in the urine. Those results are what tell us how far along things are, and they get repeated as the hours pass. Pets whose kidneys were affected often need a kidney-friendly diet afterward, and our nutrition counselling team can plan it with you.
Pets who have had a known exposure are usually admitted for fluids and close monitoring rather than sent home to be watched, because the second stage is so misleading.
Prevention, which is mostly about storage and spills
- Clean every spill immediately. Absorb it, wash the area down thoroughly, and keep pets off it until it is dry. A puddle under a car does not evaporate away politely.
- Store containers sealed, high and out of the garage floor traffic. Never decant coolant into a water bottle or an unlabelled jug.
- Check under your vehicle. A bright green, orange or pink patch on the driveway means a leak that needs fixing, and a hazard for every animal in the neighbourhood until it is.
- Consider a propylene glycol based coolant. It is not harmless, but it is considered less hazardous than ethylene glycol. Ask the shop when the system is next flushed.
- Dispose of old coolant properly at a recycling depot rather than pouring it down a drain or leaving jugs at the back of the shed.
- Remember the RV, the boat and the cabin. Winterizing products vary, so read the label before assuming the pink one is safe.
- Keep cats in while you work. Garage doors open for an afternoon are an invitation, and cats are the ones who come off worst.
- Talk to your neighbours if you see a leak on shared parking. Most people have no idea it matters to animals.
Windshield washer fluid deserves a mention in the same breath. It contains a different alcohol, it is also toxic, and it is usually stored next to the coolant.
Autumn is a busy season for poisonings generally
Antifreeze arrives at the same time as fallen fruit, full compost bins and damp conditions that grow mould, which is why our guide to mouldy food and compost poisoning in dogs covers the other common autumn call. The habit that protects against both is the same: know what is stored and what is reachable, and phone early rather than watching.
Frequently asked questions
My dog licked a small puddle in the driveway. Is that really an emergency?
Yes, phone now. A small amount is meaningful with this chemical, and the whole point is that a pet who has had a dangerous amount usually looks fine for the first several hours. It is a short conversation that could change the outcome entirely.
How soon do signs appear?
Often within thirty minutes to a few hours, and they look like drunkenness rather than poisoning. The apparent improvement that follows is not recovery. Kidney failure typically shows one to three days in, and sooner in cats.
My cat walked through a spill in the garage. She did not drink any.
Regard that as an exposure and call us. Cats groom their paws and coat thoroughly, so walking through a spill is a recognized way for them to swallow it. Do not spend the evening washing her off and watching for signs.
Is pink or orange coolant safer than green?
Colour tells you nothing reliable. The chemistry matters, and different brands use different colours for different formulations. Read the label, and bring the bottle with you.
Is antifreeze the only winter product I should worry about?
No. Windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, de-icer and some RV winterizing products all matter, and the garage shelf usually holds several of them. The same rules apply: sealed, high, and cleaned up immediately if spilled.
What if I am not certain my pet got into anything?
Phone anyway and describe what you saw. If your pet is unsteady, drinking far more than normal or vomiting after time in a garage, driveway or workshop, that is enough to warrant a look. We would much rather rule it out.
Speak to the team at Abby Veterinary Hospital and Emergency
If there is any chance your pet has been near coolant, phone us now and bring the container with you.
Published by the team at Abby Veterinary Hospital and Emergency.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Abby Veterinary Hospital and Emergency or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Abby Veterinary Hospital and Emergency
Unit C, 2388 McCallum Rd, Abbotsford, BC V2S 3P4
Phone: (604) 969-0911
Email: info.abbyer@gmail.com
Hours: Everyday 12 am to 8 am, and 12 pm to 12 am