The Secret Behind the Garage Door:                                                                          The Impact of Antifreeze on Your BullDog's Health

Each and every year, thousands upon thousands of companion animals are killed by something that most people have in their garage, behind their home, or maybe even in the backseat of their car. Antifreeze is a real killer, causing an imminent death in any pet who decides to give it a try. While there are many things in our everyday lives that have the potential to cause harm to our bulldog's health, antifreeze is a little bit different. The thing that many people fail to realize about antifreeze poisoning is that while you may think your dog has better sense than to even dare taste it, antifreeze actually tastes good to them, rather sweet in taste.

How Does Antifreeze Kill Dogs?

Dogs who dare to partake in the nectar-like goodness that is antifreeze very rarely live to see another day. The active ingredient in antifreeze is ethylene glycol, which is also poisonous to humans. Just a few links of this hazardous poison is enough to take out a large dog.

How Do I Know if My Dog Has Ingested Antifreeze?

While there is no surefire way to tell whether or not your dog has ingested antifreeze, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Shortly after ingesting the antifreeze, your dog may appear to be a bit drunk in nature but will soon appear to be better which may give the owner false reassurance. Within the next several hours after the dog has begun to metabolize the ethylene glycol, kidney failure will begin in the animal will become unconscious. There is no substitute for veterinary care for dogs who have ingested antifreeze, so if you suspect antifreeze poisoning even in the slightest, it is important to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible.

What Can I Do to Prevent Antifreeze Poisoning?

There are several things that a pet owner can do to prevent antifreeze poisoning. For one, do not keep your dog confined to any area in which they will have access to antifreeze or any other such substances. Also, making sure that your dog always has fresh drinking water is another way to prevent them from having to suffer from antifreeze poisoning, because if they have something more suitable to drink they may not even be tempted to try this new substance.

Also, there are some pet friendly antifreeze products out there that you might want to consider for your vehicle just to be on the safe side. Prestone LowTox Antifreeze and Sta-Clean Antifreeze products are both much safer alternatives to the ethylene glycol based antifreeze that most people use.

If you are not comfortable with either of these options, it is always a good idea to take your car in to the shop to be serviced rather than changing the antifreeze at home on your own. This will keep antifreeze off of your property entirely, thus eliminating the possibility of your canine companion being tempted to have a taste.