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Clinical
Toxicology

Winter poisoning hazards for pets

02 January 2023
Clinical
20 mins read
02 January 2023
Volume 28 · Issue 1
Figure 2: Christmas cake (a) and Christmas pudding (b) contain dried vine fruits and ingestion can cause acute kidney injury in dogs.
Figure 2: Christmas cake (a) and Christmas pudding (b) contain dried vine fruits and ingestion can cause acute kidney injury in dogs.

Abstract

In this final article on seasonal poisoning risks to pets, winter poisoning hazards are discussed. Some hazards in this season are associated with cold weather such as carbon monoxide poisoning, antifreeze and medicines for the symptomatic relief of colds and flu. Carbon monoxide poisoning in winter is often associated with use of a faulty heating appliance and may be missed as the effects are vague and non-specific but other members of the household may also be unwell. Ethylene glycol antifreeze poisoning results in renal failure and requires prompt antidotal treatment to prevent the formation of metabolites which are responsible for the toxic effects. If a pet has eaten a cold and flu product it is important to obtain information on the name and ingredients as these products contain various analgesics and decongestants that require different management. Christmas foods (chocolate, foods containing dried vine fruits, macadamia nuts) and decorative plants such as holly, poinsettia and mistletoe are also a potential risk to pets at this time of year. These plants usually only cause mild signs despite their poisonous reputation. Macadamia nuts can cause self-limiting signs in dogs and chocolate commonly causes neurological and cardiovascular signs, but severe cases are uncommon. Ingestion of dried vine fruits requires prophylactic treatment to prevent acute kidney injury.

Winter poisoning risks are discussed in the final article on seasonal poisoning in pets. This includes substances associated with cold weather such as antifreeze, carbon monoxide from faulty heating appliances and treatments for winter infections such as colds and flu. In addition, in the northern hemisphere Christmas is a winter festival and associated with some festive foods and decorative plants. Contact a poisons information service for more specific and individual case advice, if required.

A common antifreeze ingredient is ethylene glycol (also known as ethanediol). It is not toxic itself, but is metabolised to toxic compounds by the action of alcohol dehydrogenase. This enzyme oxidises ethylene glycol to glycoaldehyde that is ultimately metabolised to oxalate which cause renal damage and hypocalcaemia by binding to calcium to form calcium oxalate (crystals of which may be present in urine). Calcium oxalate crystal formation within the renal tubules has been shown to be the cause of the renal effects in ethylene glycol poisoning (de Water et al, 1999). A post-mortem finding of a large amount of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidney is diagnostic for ethylene glycol poisoning (Amoroso et al, 2017). The lethal dose of ethylene glycol in cats is commonly reported as 1.5 ml/kg (Milles, 1946). In another study 1 g/kg was fatal to cats within 48 hours (Gessner et al, 1961). This is equivalent to approximately a teaspoon of undiluted antifreeze in a cat. Dogs can tolerate a higher dose. In experimental studies dogs given ethylene glycol or antifreeze (95% ethylene glycol) at a dose 6 ml/kg and above died (Sanyer et al, 1973; Hewlett et al, 1989).

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decongestant poisoning
Christmas poisoning
antifreeze poisoning
carbon monoxide poisoning