Had a scare with Mr. Blue and antifreeze this morning

[Mary Plummer]

Hello everyone,

Fortunately, it didn't involve him consuming it! I was walking him around the block a few hours ago, and there was a cab parked next to a house. I was scooping up Mr. Blue poo when I heard the window open, and the driveer said "Ma'am, better keep him away from that, it's radiator fluid." Blue had been sniffing at some spilled liquid on the pavement, but I got him out of there FAST, and thanked the driver. If I remember correctly, it doesn't take very much to do serious damage, does it? Then I was thinking they should add something to it that would smell and taste repulsive to dogs. That made me giggle, which I needed, because I've never noticed Mr. Blue finding anything too repulsive to sample.

[jason]

close call i guess, glad he is ok.

[jdf]

Glad Mr. Blue is okay, Mary...also glad the cab driver knew the score. According to the linked site, it takes about 5 tablespoons to be fatal for an average sized dog. A fatal dose for a cat though can be consummed by the cat cleaning a paw after walking through a puddle of the stuff. Here's info on anti-freeze from Washington State University ::

http://courses.vetmed.wsu.edu/vm552/urogenital/eg.htm

[Mary Plummer]

Thanks jdf; that's a great site! I called our vets right after I posted here, and they gave me things to watch out for. They mentioned excessive water drinking and not being able to urinate. I took Mr. Blue out again after this, and really watched his leg-lifting. Fortunately, he was able to pee just fine! I got a strange look from him as I praised him for peeing on a tree