The Samoyed Club of Washington State

President's Message

Is anyone else having a hard time reconciling the fact that we are in November already? In this part of the northwest, it didn’t seem like we had a Fall - straight from the 70’s here, 90-100’s in Riverside and then single digits within a week of returning home. Now Thanksgiving is quickly approaching with the Christmas holiday fast on it’s heels. Given the retail merchants seem to move the onslaught of the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier, I want to take the opportunity provided by this column to focus on giving thanks.

I am thankful for the safe travels we all had to and from the national, and the wonderful show we enjoyed in Riverside. What a delight it was to come upon other SCWS members on the longest, most boring stretch of I-5. Even better when one vehicle passed with an invitation to meet at Starbucks pressed against the passengers window!

I am thankful for those in our Sammy “Village” that contribute to the efforts of rescue. While many of us were enjoying the National, our rescue coordinators and volunteers kept their respective noses to the grindstone moving the rescue efforts forward, one dog at a time. And what efforts they are! Everything from coordinating multiple interstate rescues to holiday shirt design and production - they’re a busy crew. Sometimes those efforts are joyous with placement matches made in heaven, but this past month has brought some heartbreaks, so special thanks to our coordinators and foster families. We hold you close in our hearts.

Thank you to all the others in our community who keep the club together. Liz, for keeping us in touch with one another; Joy, for watching our pennies and coordinating our brags; Jason, for keeping in touch with the rest of the doggy world; Bo, for filling in for me when I can’t get to the meetings; Darlene, for organizing the paperwork and filing for next year’s specialty; Louise and George, for offering to coordinate the next snow outing; and the list goes on. When counting my blessings, I consider our wonderful Northwest Samoyed community to be one most cherished. Thank you all.

Cheri

Every year, by some estimates, about 10,000 dogs and cats are victims of accidental poisoning by automobile antifreeze. A pet does not have to drink a lot of antifreeze to be poisoned. Most brands of commercial antifreeze consist of 95 percent ethylene glycol, an extremely toxic chemical. Even a few licks of this sweet-tasting liquid can be fatal to a cat or dog. (Ethylene- glycol-based antifreeze is also extremely hazardous to children. A few ounces are lethal.) For a medium sized dog, ingestion of about 2 ounces (3-4 tablespoons ) is toxic. For cats, as little as 1/4 of an ounce (1-2 teaspoons) can be lethal. Antifreeze poisoning commonly occurs in spring and fall when car owners replace the old antifreeze with fresh antifreeze in their car radiators. However, poisoning can happen anytime, particularly when a car boils over or when a hose leaks, releasing the antifreeze. As mentioned above, this poisoning happens often to animals who are allowed to roam freely in their neighborhoods, but another high risk group are those dogs who are confined in garages and who may not always be provided with adequate fresh drinking water. These dogs may gain access to improperly or inadequately stored antifreeze or lick spilled or leaked antifreeze off the garage floor. If it is necessary to confine your pet(s) to your garage, make sure antifreeze containers are well secured and your animal has plenty of fresh water.

Another source of antifreeze are the decorative "snow globes" glassware. The liquid in the these displays contain2% antifreeze and are very toxic..I recently received of call of a young cat poisoned when ingesting some of the liquid froma shattered "snow globe".

Both cats and dog are attracted to the smell and taste of ethylene glycol. Therefore, when you or a member of your household changes antifreeze in the driveway, be sure to collect all of the waste coolant and properly dispose of it. And never leave a bucket of ethylene-glycol coolant unattended - even for a moment. Also remember that your car can leak coolant at any time. If you see a puddle of greenish-colored liquid in your driveway, flush the area with plenty of water and don’t delay locating and fixing the leak. Another method of quick clean-up is to spread cat litter on the spill, clean up with rags (which are bagged immediately) and then rinse. Antifreeze will biodegrade in the environment, but it takes weeks or months to do so, so removing the spill is absolutely essential.

Antifreeze poisoning occurs in two stages: In the first stage, the ethylene glycol in the antifreeze causes a drunken appearance in the animal within about 30 minutes which may continue for several hours. After passing through stage 1, the animal appears to recover. Stage 2 begins when the dog’s liver begins metabolizing the ethylene glycol, changing it into more toxic substances. Within 12 to 36 hours of ingestion, these metabolites have reached such a level that the dog’s kidneys stop functioning, and the animal slips into a coma.

Getting the dog to a veterinarian is critical within the first 9-12 hours following ingestion. After that length of time, the liver will have already begun metabolizing the ethylene glycol into substances that cause kidney failure and ultimately death.I have been asked the question by several people-What should be done immediately care for my pet.Should I induce vomiting or give activated charcoal to my pet?These are very short term fixes and not a cure.The faster your pet is treated by a veterinarian the better the chances of recovery.Again, this poison is extremely toxic.

Another source of help is the National Poison Control Center, 800-548-2423. This call will cost $30.

Symptoms of antifreeze poisoning include a drunken appearance including staggering, lack of coordination, and apparent disorientation and vomiting. The animal may appear listless and depressed. Because early signs of antifreeze poisoning often mimic signs of other illness, neither you or your veterinarian may suspect antifreeze poisoning until it is too late. Fortunately, in house lab tests performed by your veterinarian by assist in the diagnosis of antifreeze toxicity.

In our practice we had a tragic incident involving two pets. One dog ingested antifreeze and then vomited the product. The other dog then licked up the vomit and also developed the toxicity. By the time the owner recognized the seriousness of the situation, it was too late and both pets died. We also had a situation involving a household of three cats. The same situation occurred. But, fortunately, the owner recognized the problem and we were able to save two of the three pets. As, you can see, this is truly a horrible and tragic poison.