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Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
antifreeze, coolant
A professional reference for veterinary specialists. It does not replace clinical judgement.
Species and toxic dose
| Species | Risk | Toxic dose |
|---|---|---|
| Dog | Toxic | Lethal dose of undiluted ethylene glycol 6.6 ml/kg. Antifreeze is roughly 50% to over 95% ethylene glycol. Scientific article A study or review published in a scientific journal. Its findings apply to the animals and conditions it studied. |
| Cat | Especially sensitive | Lethal dose of undiluted ethylene glycol about 1.4-1.5 ml/kg. Scientific article A study or review published in a scientific journal. Its findings apply to the animals and conditions it studied. |
Toxic principle
Alcohol dehydrogenase turns ethylene glycol into glycolaldehyde, glycolic acid (metabolic acidosis) and oxalic acid; calcium oxalate crystals in the renal tubules cause acute tubular necrosis and low calcium.
Onset
Absorbed within 1-3 hours. At 1-3 hours dullness, ataxia, increased drinking and urination; by 6-12 hours the animal is markedly ill; kidney failure at about 24-48 hours in dogs and 24-72 hours in cats.
Clinical signs
Early: ataxia, depression, polydipsia, polyuria; dogs may also vomit, be tachycardic, seize or become comatose. Later: vomiting, oral ulcers, oliguria or anuria, painful kidneys. Raised osmolal and anion gaps; calcium oxalate crystals in only about 40% of cases.
Organs affected
Central nervous system, digestive tract, kidneys.
Treatment principle (for veterinarians)
Emesis only early, before neurological signs; activated charcoal does not bind alcohols. The antidote fomepizole works best within about 8 hours in dogs and about 3 hours in cats; ethanol is the alternative (never with fomepizole). Intravenous fluids; haemodialysis may help dogs if started early. Dogs given fomepizole before azotaemia survived; dogs already azotaemic did not. Blood and urine taken 1-6 hours after exposure give the best ethylene glycol test results.
A summary of the principles in the sources, not a protocol: doses and the plan are the treating veterinarian's decision.
Sources
- Scientific article. Sauder T, Ricard M, Loewen J, Cowan V. Retrospective case series of companion animals hospitalized for ethylene glycol poisoning. Canadian Veterinary Journal 67(5):553-562 2026
- Reference book. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. ASPCA Poison Control tox cards. aspcapro.org 2025
- Reference book. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Ethylene glycol and antifreeze poisoning in pets. aspcapro.org 2025
- Scientific article. Kim AY, et al. Ethylene glycol poisoning in a free-roaming cat. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13:1846573 2026
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