27 November 2009

Moggie and pooch owners who suspect their animals have ingested anti-freeze ought to take their pets to vets for emergency treatment.

Animal health experts Christina Ryan and Beth Davidow raised their concerns in My Seattle Pets that more cats and dogs are likely to come into contact with the substance over the winter period.

The pair explained that even small amounts of the liquid can have fatal effects on pets.

Moggies can suffer severe poisoning by just licking anti-freeze from their paws, while dogs can be struck down by the substance after drinking a few mouthfuls of it.

However, if animals receive swift treatment following ingestion of the liquid they have an improved chance of survival.

Early signs of anti-freeze poisoning include swaying and an unsteady gait, at which point animals may be given sickness-inducing drugs to flush anti-freeze from their systems.

Days after swallowing the liquid, dogs and cats will drink excessively and then suffer kidney failure, which often proves fatal.

Website resource ExpertClick.com recently advised animal owners to buy anti-freeze containing propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol, as the former is less poisonous than the latter.