Antifreeze poisoning in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Antifreeze poisoning is poisoning from ethylene glycol, a very toxic chemical in antifreeze.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet now.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, a very toxic chemical that can cause severe damage to your dog's organs.^[1] Ethylene glycol poisoning is often fatal unless it is treated extremely quickly, and treatment has a much higher chance of working before the kidneys are damaged.^[1]

Signs

Wobbliness and weakness
Vomiting
Low energy (lethargy)
Drinking more than normal
Weeing more than normal to begin
Difficulty breathing or fast breathing
Seizures (fits)
Collapse

Causes and risk factors

Spillages from nearby parked cars
Recently drained car radiators
Water features

How a vet finds out

Physical examination

How vets treat it

Fluids or a drip
Hospitalisation
Medication

What the experts say

“Overview. EMERGENCY: Call your vet immediately if you think your dog has come into contact with antifreeze. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, a very toxic chemical that causes severe damage to your dog’s organs, even in very small amounts.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What is antifreeze poisoning in dogs?

Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, a very toxic chemical that can cause severe damage to your dog's organs.^[1]

What signs can antifreeze poisoning cause?

Signs can include wobbliness and weakness, vomiting, low energy, drinking more than normal, weeing more than normal to begin, difficulty breathing or fast breathing, seizures and collapse.^[1]

How might a vet treat antifreeze poisoning?

A vet may use fluids or a drip, hospitalisation and medication. Treatment has a much higher chance of working if it is started early, before the kidneys are damaged.

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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