Antifreeze Dangers ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

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Any health care links located here are NOT to replace a veterinarian visit; please take your cat to a vet immediately at any sign of odd behavior or any symptoms of illness or injury. Call your vet and describe your cat's symptoms with any of your concerns about the cat's well-being. Your veterinarian may discover changes in your cat's health that you have overlooked. It is always better to err on the side of caution.

Antifreeze is a Killer

A teaspoon of antifreeze can kill a dog, even less to kill a cat. And yes, children are affected also. Some 700 children are exposed to antifreeze in a year's time.

It is mandatory in Europe that antifreeze be manufactured using propyl glycol. It's still toxic, but does not do the irreparable damage to the kidneys that the ethyl glycol does.

The following is from an email I received about the tragic consequences of pet ingestion of antifreeze and what you, as a caring pet owner and concerned citizen can do. Pawprints and Purrs, Inc. has received permission from the author, Rebecca Taylor, to reprint both her email and her article.

NOTE: After reading this page, please write a letter to your legislative representatives demanding that legislation be passed that all antifreeze must be manufactured using either propylene glycol as the active ingredient or adding denatonium benzoate to make it less palatable. If you live in the United States, you can find your representatives here.

May 18, 1999

Our family was lucky to have known and loved PJ Puddytat for three years. We adopted him from our pet store (now defunct) when he was 10 weeks old. He and his 3 siblings were all orange male tabbies. I have kept in touch with two of the owners of his brothers and now know that they not only shared their looks, they shared a loving, warm personality. The four kittens were abandoned on the doorstep of our store. Finding them good homes was our priority.

PJ was not a "huggy" cat, but if you picked him up to cuddle with you, he did not object. During the three years he shared our home, he never once scratched or bit at any of us. Our youngest daughter could dress him in baby bonnets and he never objected. He played joyfully with our dog, Nellie from the time we brought her home. Perhaps they were 'best friends' because they were the same age and Nellie's spots matched the color of PJ's coat.

My husband and I made a determined effort to keep PJ a "house" cat. He was neutered at 5 months and kept inside. But all it takes is one time out the door, and you can never keep them in again. So it was with PJ. We lived on a major truck route and were always afraid that he or our older cat would end up on the road. PJ must have taken lessons from Miss Muffin; he never traveled in that direction. Instead, he met his death on our side of the road, but not by our hand or carelessness.

I am sending you the letter I wrote for several newspapers in the hopes that it would educate other pet owners and parents alike. I have also sent copies of this letter to my state Senator and to other government officials. It's time to change some common manufacturing methods. Becky Taylor

What Price - Safety?
In the early morning hours of March 1st, he must have felt some dizziness, some symptoms of disorientation, listlessness then depression, followed by nausea. By the time he was found the seizures had begun. Quickly rushed to the veterinarian's office, he was sedated to relieve him from the stress of the seizures. His system was flushed with a charcoal slurry to remove whatever toxin was causing the seizures. Placed on an IV drip, then into an oxygen cage, he was slowly brought out of his sedated state. The seizures were gone, but in their place a more insidious symptom reared it’s head. Renal failure. The toxin had done it’s work by causing violent disruption of the calcium balance in the cat’s system. This causes complete and irreversible kidney failure leading ultimately to uremic poisoning. And it was caused by something so mundane that there is every likelihood that you have it in your own home.

The veterinarian’s diagnosis was acute antifreeze poisoning; this is the only substance known to him that causes irreversible kidney failure in so young an animal.

PJ was only 3 1/2 years old. He didn’t deserve to die in this manner; no one does. But then, he was "only a cat." Next time, it could be your child.

Some 700 children per year are exposed to antifreeze and it only takes two teaspoons to kill a child or cause blindness. It is one of the most common ways that animals meet their demise, particularly in the northern states.

Common antifreeze brands contain ethylene glycol as the active ingredient and it only takes 1/2 teaspoon per pound of body weight to kill a dog; less for a cat. There is a new product on the market 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 disorientation and possibly seizures but does not ravage the kidneys irreparably as does the ethylene glycol.

Another alternative, commonly used in Europe, is the addition of denatonium benzoate to the antifreeze. This chemical imparts a bitter taste to the customarily sweet flavor of ordinary antifreeze. Children would spit it out promptly and animals would never take a second lap. Cost to manufacturers is minimal; two cents per gallon.

P.J.’s life was worth far more than two cents. His life was priceless for he was a part of our family. His sweet nature, loving disposition and gentle ways will never be forgotten.

We do not absolve ourselves from the guilt of this tragedy. We allowed him to go outside. He did not, however, come into contact with the deadly antifreeze on his home turf. We do not hold responsible any of our neighbors. Many people do not know of the consequences of antifreeze ingestion. We do hold the manufacturers responsible when they know of ways to make a safer product for low cost and refuse to do so.

If you care about your children and your pets, please write a letter to your Senator requesting -- no, demanding that legislation be passed that all antifreeze must be manufactured using either propylene glycol as the active ingredient or adding denatonium benzoate to make it less palatable.

P.J.’s life was worth far more than two cents. How much more valuable is a child’s life?

Rebecca Taylor Copyright © 1999 - All rights reserved

NOTE: PREVENT ANTIFREEZE POISONING

Keep new and used antifreeze in a sealed, leak proof container.

Take used antifreeze to a service station for disposal - don't pour it on the ground.

Check driveways for puddles of antifreeze that may have leaked from the vehicle.

Consider the use of alternative antifreeze products that are less toxic to pets.

If antifreeze is placed in toilets make sure the lid is down and the door to the room is closed.

Additional dangers to pets located here.

Page URL: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/antifreeze.html