Home › Can my pet eat this? › Antifreeze / Ethylene Glycol
🚗 Is antifreeze poisonous to dogs and cats?
🔴 Yes. It's dangerous.
👉 What to do right now
- CRITICAL EMERGENCY regardless of how pet appears.
- Treatment window is 8–12 hours in dogs, LESS in cats.
- Stage 2 'recovery' is a false sign.
- Antidote: fomepizole (dogs) or ethanol IV (cats).
⛔ Don't
- Believe pet is fine during Stage 2 recovery period
- Wait longer than 8 hours under any circumstances
⚖️ How much is too much?
Harmful amounts depend on your pet's body weight.
🐶 Dogs4.4–6.6ml/kg lethal
🐱 Cats1.4ml/kg lethal — extremely low
👀 Signs to watch for
- Stage 1: ataxia, vomiting, excessive thirst
- Stage 2: apparent improvement (deceptive)
- Stage 3: painful kidneys, no urination, death
⏱️ When do signs show up?
30 min (Stage 1); 36–72h (fatal kidney failure)
🔬 Why is it harmful?
Three-stage toxicity: Stage 1 (0–12h): CNS depression like intoxication. Stage 2 (12–24h): False recovery — metabolic acidosis. Stage 3 (36–72h): Calcium oxalate crystals destroy renal tubules causing fatal kidney failure.
Related
Informational triage only. Does not replace professional veterinary diagnosis. When in doubt, always call your vet.