Antifreeze poisoning is a serious disease that can be fatal to people and animals who consume antifreeze containing ethylene glycol. Symptoms include vomiting, confusion, seizures, and eventual death. Treatment involves eliminating the ingested antifreeze from the body, and people should handle engine coolant with care and avoid leaving spills.
Antifreeze poisoning is a very serious disease that occurs when people or animals consume antifreeze that contains ethylene glycol. Most cases are seen in dogs and cats, but this can also occur in humans, most typically in curious children who drink antifreeze because it tastes sweet. People and pets who consume antifreeze need immediate medical attention and prompt intervention, or they will die.
Ethylene glycol has a naturally sweet taste, which makes engine coolant taste appealing. Animals may lick up antifreeze because they like the taste or because they’re thirsty, and because animals are extremely sensitive to the chemical, they can even die from licking antifreeze off their paws after walking through a puddle. Even children are very sensitive to it, especially if they are small. If antifreeze consumption is suspected, the patient should undergo immediate testing and medical treatment.
The poisoning is caused by the metabolism of ethylene glycol in the liver, which breaks down the chemical into dangerous compounds that interfere with central nervous system function. In the early stages, antifreeze poisoning causes a drunken appearance, which slowly develops into more severe symptoms, including vomiting, frequent urination, extreme thirst, confusion, dizziness, listlessness, seizures, abdominal tenderness, and eventual death.
Even when poisoning is caught and treated successfully, it can cause long-term damage to the kidneys and extremities. Some animals that survived lost extremities such as ears and limbs because the damage from poisoning was so extensive. Antifreeze poisoning can also cause brain damage.
Treatment is based on the elimination of ingested antifreeze from the body. Vomiting is sometimes induced, and patients may also be given drugs that inhibit the metabolism of ethylene glycol in the liver. In fact, one of the best treatments is plain ethanol. Also, hemodialysis can be used to cleanse the blood.
People should be very careful when handling engine coolant and should avoid leaving even small spills. When coolant is changed, it should be collected in a container that can be sealed and disposed of, and any spills should be cleaned up or washed away. People can substantially reduce their risks by using coolant with a bitter agent that makes antifreeze nasty, or by using propylene glycol-based antifreeze, which isn’t quite as toxic. It’s also advisable to confine children and pets so they can’t ingest antifreeze when they wander around.
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