Dog ingests anti-freeze. Vet bills to total over $1,300

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Dog ingests anti-freeze. Vet bills to total over $1,300

Posted: 12/11/2003 4:51:28 AM EDT

Came home last night on my dinner break to feed my 3yr old Siberian Husky, Sammy. It was raining like mad so I decided to put him in the basement until I got off from work. Once I got home after work I went home and found that he had chewed open a jug of antifreeze that I didn't know was stored in a dark corner of the basement. Took the dog to the animal hospital for treatment. The cost of the antidote alone was $375. The total bill was just short of $800. Took him to his regular vet this morning where it's likely to cost another $500 or more. Sammy appears to be doing well at this point, kidney function appears normal. I'm keeping my fingers crossed just in case.

I don't mind spending the money on my best friend but that money had been earmarked for a new 1000yd target rifle.

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:04:37 AM EDT

[#1]

Sorry to hear about your dog, that sucks...[:(]

I hope everything worksout, keep us posted.

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:10:21 AM EDT

[#2]

I hope he'll be ok.

Thats got to be scary.

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:14:34 AM EDT

[#3]

Sorry to hear that, hope it all works out. Pets are a real responsibility and SHIT happens = $$$. The total cost of ownership over their lifetime can be a considerable, but worth the investment, sum. Like I said, hope it all works out.

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:40:57 AM EDT

[#4]

At least you found him in time to have the opportunity to spend the money and keep him around. Antifreeze and animals don't normally mix well and the results normally end with grief. I had a cat that drank some puddled antifreeze years ago (brothers car had a small hole punched through the radiator from a rock - we put a drip pan to collect it until we could the radiator fixed). It crystalized the cat from the inside. We found him that way. Antifreeze has a sweet 'taste' to it that animals seem to be drawn to.

Again, sorry to hear about Sammy, but I am glad to hear you found in time to get him to the vet. Hopefully he fully recovers.

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:47:18 AM EDT

[#5]

sorry about your dog, hope hes ok. can always save for another gun, but your dog is family. glad you did the right thing. too many people now adays think pets are expendable

Posted: 12/11/2003 5:58:29 PM EDT

[#6]

I feel for you. My 458 socom money(and then some) went into my dogs teeth last month. Hope yours comes out okay.

Posted: 12/11/2003 6:14:10 PM EDT

[#7]

I am sorry to hear about your pooch.

I am also sorry to hear that your vet is ripping you off. The antidote for antifreeze ingestion is just ethanol; most places use Everclear (190 proof grain alcohol) into an IV. This costs about $5-10 bucks for the booze and about $5-10 for the IV setup. I would definitely find out just exactly what that mysterious antidote was that they used.

-Juice Out

Posted: 12/11/2003 6:23:40 PM EDT

[#8]

Sorry to hear that. Even though it's jsut an animal, it would royally sucks to lose one. Mine died while i was away at boot camp.

On the plus side, he's still alive. That's one tough pup you got there.

The vast majority of pets i've known that got into antifreeze didn't make it. The big guy must have been looking out for him. ;-)

Posted: 12/11/2003 6:55:59 PM EDT

[#9]

The other poster was correct, the antidote for Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is pure ethanol (well of course there is a formula about how much to give per body kg). Ethanol competes for the same pathways in your body that metabolize ethylene glycol, so that when you overwhelm the pathways with ethanol, the metabolism of antifreeze is much slower and much less harmful. Interestingly, ethanol (pure grain alcohol, if you will) is also the antidote to methanol (wood alcohol) poisoning for the same reason.

Anyway I am so sorry about your dog, I know that must be horrible. If I were you I would go chew the vet's face off for charging what he did for the antidote. Seriously.

jb
NB: I am not a doctor. I am only a medical student.

Posted: 12/11/2003 7:38:55 PM EDT

[#10]

[b]UPDATE[/b]

Thanks for the support guys. I've felt like a total shitbag for the last 24hrs.

Sammy is doing very well much to the surprise of the vet at the emergency animal hospital.[:)] He is still going through treatment and will get another blood test in the morning to verify that all traces of the antifreeze are gone. So far tests show little if any damage.

The antidote he is being given is Antizol. Some of you would know better than me about this drug and the going rate. The emergency animal hospital (where I first took him because it was the only place open at midnight) charges $375 while the vet I usually go to charges "only" $250.[:(!] In the end it's only money but I tend to despise people who take advantage of people who are in a tight spot.

Thanks again
Cougar

Edited to add: Vet bills now closing in on $1,500

Posted: 12/11/2003 8:22:25 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
[b]UPDATE[/b]

The antidote he is being given is Antizol. Some of you would know better than me about this drug and the going rate. The emergency animal hospital (where I first took him because it was the only place open at midnight) charges $375 while the vet I usually go to charges "only" $250.[:(!] In the end it's only money but I tend to despise people who take advantage of people who are in a tight spot.

Thanks again
Cougar

Edited to add: Vet bills now closing in on $1,500

View Quote

I would pay the emergency vet with a smile, what happened if that clinic wasn't open? the outcome could be a lot different.

Posted: 12/11/2003 8:45:24 PM EDT

[#12]

That's money well spent, my friend. I've had sick pets, members of the family, actually. Money, though I haven't got that much, was not a consideration.

Posted: 12/11/2003 8:48:14 PM EDT

[#13]

glad he's doing ok [:)]

Posted: 12/12/2003 12:45:25 AM EDT

[#14]

was it the pet friendly antifreeze? they do make it... dont see why more people dont use it... but good thing the dogs ok...

Posted: 12/12/2003 1:01:34 AM EDT

[#15]

i lost 2 dogs to antifreeze. got them both to the docs office, but not soon enough. the vet got the IV going with PGA, sucked it right out of the bottle in front of me. the following day the tests were showing the beginnings of kidney damage. i had them both put down before it became painful for them.

Posted: 12/12/2003 5:51:15 AM EDT

[#16]

The emergency animal hospital open at midnight possible saved your dogs life.

I can remember when there was NO SUCH THING. You pet would have to wait untill the morning.
[:(]

That is so cool you were able to get him treatment in time. Remember God spelled backward is ? .

Posted: 12/12/2003 7:23:06 AM EDT

[#17]

That's what pet health insurance is for.

Posted: 12/15/2003 4:17:17 AM EDT

[#18]

Cougar---

How's the "pup"???

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Dog ingests anti-freeze. Vet bills to total over $1,300

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