Treatment of ethylene glycol toxicosis in cats

Ethylene glycol (EG) was orally administered to 27 cats at dose levels of 4, 6, or 8 ml/kg of body weight. Treatment was initiated 4 or 8 hours later and consisted of giving (intraperitoneal injection, IP) 5 ml of 20% ethanol in isotonic saline solution and 6 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate in isotonic saline solution per kilogram of body weight. Treatment was repeated every 6 or 8 hours for approximately 56 hours after initial treatment was given. The 6 control cats (i.e., untreated) and all cats treated 8 hours after EG was given in doses of 6 ml/kg (4 cats) or 8 ml/kg (4 cats) died. Only 1 of 4 cats (25%) recovered in the group given EG at the dose level of 4 ml/kg of body weight and initial treatment started 8 hours later. Two of 3 cats (67%) recovered in each of the groups given EG at the dose levels of 4 ml/kg and 6 ml/kg and initially treated 4 hours after dosing, but only 1 of 3 cats (33%) recovered in the group given 8 ml of eg/kg and first treated 4 hours later. Limitations of successful treatment are high doses of EG and delays in initiating the treatment.