I know many biochemists are aware of this, but I've never seen veterinrians say anything about it. I wonder if this has been taught in veterinary schools. I think this is something they need to know.
I think you will find the transfer of knowledge from the research labs to the field is painfully slow.
I have clear memories (and we are talking mid 70s - THIRTY years ago) of :
(1) being told of the horrors of trans fatty acids and
(2) serious concerns about the impact of over immunization to the immune system.
On July 4th, 1999 my wife and I were at her father's house with my 1 year old male GSD. Her father had been working on a car and had left a five gallon bucket full of mostly anti-freeze mixed with a little dirty engine oil. I didn't know the bucket was there until I noticed my dog drinking out of it and of course I immediately stopped him but unfortunately he already had taken a big drink. I called poison control and they suggested everclear so I went straight to the liquor store and purchased a fifth and forced most of it down my poor dog. I made an emergency call to my vet and he met me at the clinic within about 2 hours. After the first day my dog was in very bad shape and the vet told me it was unlikely that he would survive. To make a long story short he spent 4 days and 3 nights at the vets but he did finally recover. The vet told me "this is one for the record books" and also mentioned that he thought the everclear was probably what helped save him.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
It doesn't take much anitfreeze to make a dog deathly ill. My aunt's schnauzer WALKED through some in the neighbor's driveway, and began convulsing about 10mins later. He may have licked it off his paws, but keep in mind that he only stepped in it; he wasn't drinking it intentionally. We don't know for a fact that he even did injest it. They just retraced his steps to try and see what made him so sick, and found the puddle of antifreeze. Luckily, they didn't waste any time and he was ok. Point is some dogs may be more sensitive than others, and even skin contact is not good.
As little as 3 tablespoons will kill a thirty pound dog.
The fact that the surviving kid had been drinking alcohol is no surprise. There is a better treatment now (Antizole) , but when I first starting vet-teching, the ONLY treatment for antifreeze poisoning was I.V. Everclear. That's right, Everclear! Balanced off by sodium bicarb i.v.
Antifreeze kills by crystalizing in the liver and kidneys, causing renal shutdown/death. The alcohol keeps the crystals from forming. There was a liquor store close to the emergency clinic where I worked that thought I was a MAJOR drinker. One winter I was coming in and buying a quart of Everclear every three or four days. They started looking at me very strangely! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
so if your dog does get into antifreeze how much everclear should you be giving the dog? The whole quart <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
Karmen - I was told as much as the dog can tolerate without getting alcohol poisoning. My vet said that if a dog comes in with anti-freeze poisoning they put the dog on an Everclear IV, essentially in a comatose state for a couple of days. They did not put my dog on an everclear IV because I had already given him so much everclear before arriving at the vet's.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
I wouldn't try the self-medication unless I was several hours away from vet care. Whether your dog dies of antifreeze or alcohol poisoning, he's still just as dead.
I wouldn't try the self-medication unless I was several hours away from vet care.
I agree with you Becky; however there may be occasions when knowing how much Everclear your dog can tolerate without alcohol poisoning (based on the size of the dog) may help save the dog. The day my dog drank antifreeze was a holiday and I knew it would take an emergency call and a couple of hours to get a vet to meet me....
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
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