It is also a good time to double-check and ensure that your pets don’t have access to vehicle fluids such as antifreeze and petroleum-based products. A small spill on the garage floor or even an old container with an improperly closed lid can be spilled and cause our four-legged family member to become sick or, even worse, killed if they consume, roll in or inhale the fluid.
Per Dr. Julie Miles of Compassionate Care Animal Hospital LLC: “Antifreeze is extremely toxic. Unfortunately, the toxic ingredient ethylene glycol is sweet, so pets will drink it. We will typically see vomiting as the first clinical sign of ingestion, followed by depression, stumbling, weakness, increased respiration rate, drinking large amounts and urinating large amounts. It is crucial that owners get their pet to a veterinarian immediately if they suspect ethylene glycol ingestion, as we see kidney failure as soon as 12 hours after ingestion. After 96 hours, the kidneys often completely shut down.”
Within the past few years, many manufacturers have begun adding a bitter agent to discourage animals from consuming such sweet products as antifreeze. This helps, but the best way to ensure your pet’s safety is to properly dispose of automotive fluids at places such as your local automotive store or automotive repair facility. You will need to call to ensure that they accept the automotive fluid you are trying to dispose.
Do not pour auto fluids in storm drains, ditches or curb inlets. Not only can these fluids harm our pets, they can also degrade our streams and the aquatic life such as fish and microorganisms that call our streams home.
Miles also says, “Petroleum products (oil, transmission oil, gasoline) are mostly a GI irritant for dogs and cats. Thankfully, if they get into them, we typically just see diarrhea. We can see vomiting as well, and that is more concerning than diarrhea because if a pet chokes on the vomit containing oil or gas and it gets into the lungs, they can get severe inflammation in the lungs or develop pneumonia. So if an owner thinks their pet got into a petroleum product, it is very important to not make them vomit. It could make things worse. If their pet does vomit, they should be monitored very closely for coughing, increased panting or labored breathing. If they notice any of these, they should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. In the unusual event that they ingest a large amount of it, we can see central nervous depression. If an owner sees that their pet is lethargic or depressed, stumbling or weak, they should be seen immediately. Thankfully, petroleum products don’t taste very good, so most pets don’t ingest a lot.”
Proper storage and disposal is key to keeping our pets and streams safe. If you purchase oil and antifreeze at an automotive store, talk to someone there about the store’s recycling policy and programs. The next time you clean your garage or shed and you find an old jug or quart of automotive fluid, we encourage you to call Firestone Complete Autocare of Pickerington and ask if the company will help you dispose of those smaller quantities.
If you have large quantities of oil, the Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action Recycling Center at 1761 E. Main St. in Lancaster accepts oil and uses it for heating in the winter. You can call the center at 740-687-1295 for its hours of operation.
Always remember: If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for your pets or fish. Only Rain Down the Drain!
While you are raking the fall leaves out of the yard, don’t forget to PUP (Pick Up Poop). We encourage pet owners to pick up after their pets. The bacteria and nutrients found in the waste can run off into our streams and degrade the quality of our streams in the Walnut Creek Watershed.
Drug Collection, Electronic Recycling and Shred Day
Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Violet Township Service Center, 490 N. Center St.
Paper shredding limited to 2 boxes, please. No aerosols, inhalers, liquids, creams, gels, ointments, powders, syringes, IVs, patches or suppositories will be accepted. Televisions will be accepted for a minimum fee of $1 per diagonal inch.
