VET SPEAK: Alison Laurie-Chalmers describes how antifreeze dangers to cats are real and not to be under-estimated
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Sadly, antifreeze poisoning is still encountered over the colder, winter months. Please do be aware of this potentially fatal poison, particularly if you or your neighbours own cats.
Ethylene glycol is found in most antifreeze products, it is used in car radiators and in some screen washes, and in vehicle de-icers to prevent freezing. Unfortunately, it is extremely toxic to cats, and every year many cats die from antifreeze poisoning.
Antifreeze is recognisable by its bright green colour. Even small amounts can be fatally toxic to a cat’s body organs, including the brain, kidneys, and liver.
Cats generally encounter antifreeze when it leaks from a car’s engine onto the ground, when it is spilled while being added to a car’s engine, or if there are spillages from the container or when the refill container is left uncapped.
Cats like the “sweet” taste of antifreeze, so they may lap it up and drink it from puddles or any spillages. Cats may also ingest it by grooming themselves after walking through spillages. It is extremely toxic to cats, and they only need drink a teaspoon or less to cause serious illness and death.
Unfortunately, there have also been cases of malicious poisoning of cats with antifreeze. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is a criminal offence to poison a cat. The maximum penalty for anyone guilty of this horrendous crime is up to six months in prison, and/or a £20,000 fine.
Symptoms of poisoning are dependent on the amount ingested. Some early signs seen from 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion are: nausea and vomiting, mild to severe depression and tiredness, an uncoordinated gait (ataxia), knuckling of limbs, twitching of muscles; short and rapid movements of the eyeballs, head tremors, increased urination and increased thirst (polyuria and polydipsia).
Other symptoms can then develop 12 to 24-four hours after ingestion. Cats usually become extremely depressed, they can have a low body temperature, severe sluggishness (lethargy) or coma, seizures, a lack of appetite, severe vomiting, painful ulcers and sores are often noted within the mouth, salivation or drooling are seen, the patient’s kidneys are often swollen and painful.
As kidney damage develops, cats may also drink a lot, urinate a lot and become very unwell, even collapsing. As the kidney damage progresses further and kidney function fails, cats become extremely ill producing only small amounts of urine.
If a cat is treated by a vet within an hour of drinking antifreeze it may be possible to make the cat vomit, to stop more poison being absorbed. Unfortunately, though, cats are rarely seen drinking it and are usually taken to the vet when the antifreeze has already been absorbed and signs of illness are already showing. If the cat reaches the vet within three to four hours of ingesting it, it may be treated with intravenous fluids and an antidote or drugs to try to counteract the effects. So, it is extremely important to bring your cat to the vet immediately. Tragically, even with prompt treatment, ethylene glycol poisoning is often fatal.
If you have products containing ethylene glycol, then make sure they are stored safely. Even safer, choose screen wash and de-icers that do not contain ethylene glycol. If a splash is on the floor, wipe it up immediately, and rinse the area thoroughly. Even a tiny amount on a cat’s feet (picked up if it walks through a spillage) is enough to cause harm. If you think your cat has been exposed to ethylene glycol, contact your vet urgently. This is an emergency.
• Alison Laurie-Chalmers is a senior consultant at Crown Vets.
