automobile poisons

Automobile Poisons

Antifreeze

Antifreeze is placed in car radiators in the winter. Unfortunately, poisoning with antifreeze is quite common, as it has a sweet taste and any spilled may be licked up by dogs in quantities sufficient to cause extreme sickness and can often be fatal. Damage is usually done to the kidneys. If you are storing antifreeze in a garage or shed: keep the containers sealed tightly, clearly marked and well out of reach of your dog. Never allow your pets to have access to the area when you are draining antifreeze from your car. Clear up any spillages immediately. Check your car regularly for any leaks

Like household cleaning productions, car cleaning compounds can cause stomach upset and vomiting. Some car cleaning agents are stronger than those used indoors. Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and windshield washer fluid can be harmful to your pet. Less than one tablespoon can be deadly to a 10 pound dog. Poisoning by antifreeze, or ethylene glycol, is one of the most common small animal toxicity's.

What to Watch For

Depression
Restlessness
Incoordination
Convulsions
Coma

It takes only about 1/2 teaspoon per pound for a dog to get a toxic dose of ethylene glyco. Although the poison affects both the animal's neurological and kidney function, the most severe damage usually involves the kidneys. Clinical signs in affected animals include depression, incoordination, vomiting, and seizures.

Safer antifreeze products (propylene glycol) are now available and should be used. There is currently a new product on the market (one trade name is "Sierra") which claims to be safer than other brands of antifreeze. This product contains propylene glycol as its active ingredient. If ingested, it can still cause the nervous system injury resulting in incoordination and possibly seizures but does not cause the more frequently fatal kidney damage. It is clear using such a product would pose less of a health hazard. The best advice remains, however, to always use any potentially toxic product carefully to prevent accidental poisoning in the first place.

Petroleum Based Poisoning

Kerosene, Gasoline and turpentine can cause pneumonia if aspirated or inhaled
Skin contact, ingestion or inhalation of petroleum, petroleum condensate, gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, crude oil, or other hydrocarbon mixtures (paints and polishes, acetates etc.) may cause illness and occasionally death in dogs. Kerosene and gasoline are absorbed through the skin and through the GI tract. If your dog simply breathes in fumes or aspirates these products, he may suffer from depression or hyperexcitability along with secondary pneumonia and liver or kidney damage. Though dogs generally do not enjoy the taste of any of these products, a common cause of ingestion is through drinking out of puddles that contain chemicals or walking through spilled liquids and then licking their paws. Both dogs and cats may ingest petroleum products during grooming if their fur becomes contaminated. Toxicity can occur if the kerosene is inhaled while being ingested (aspiration) Aspiration may cause respiratory irritation.

Signs of Toxicity

Toxic dose varies depending upon the route of exposure.

Drooling
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Ataxia
Rapid labored breathing
Tremors
Seizures
Coma
Death
(Death is usually cased by respiratory failure)

Immediate Action
DO NOT induce vomiting if ingested. If you do induce vomiting when petroleum - based chemicals are involved, it can result in rupturing of the stomach and burns of the esophagus. It may also cause the stomach contents to enter the animal's trachea and go into their lungs. Treat petroleum - based chemical poisoning just as you would with corrosive poisoning. Flush the mouth with water to remove the petroleum residue. Petroleum products are extremely irritating to the skin and must be removed as quickly as possible. Bathe the skin using warm soapy water. Seek veterinary attention. If skin exposure has occurred, bathe with mild detergent and rinse thoroughly. Seek veterinary attention while decontaminating the pet.

If your pet has tar in its coat, trim away any hair that contains tar, oil or paint. To remove residual substances, saturate the effected parts in vegetable oil and leave in on for 24 hours. Then wash the coat with soap and water or give the dog a complete bath.

Veterinary Care
General treatment: Additional bathing is performed if dermal exposure has occurred.

Supportive treatment: IV fluids are administered. The pet is monitored and treated for heart or organ disorders and aspiration or chemical pneumonia.

Source: "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" 3rd Edition by James M. Giffin MD & Liisa D. Carlson, DVM.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/antifreeze.asp

Antifreeze Poisoning