Acute kidney injury associated with ethylene glycol poisoning in dog: Case report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i2.50577

Keywords:

Glycol , Tubular necrosis, Varnish.

Abstract

Ethylene glycol is a polyalcohol used as an antifreeze, a coolant additive in vehicle radiators, and in other industrial products. Accordingly, the ingestion of this substance by dogs and cats is closely linked to environments or direct contact with industrial products, particularly considering the use of antifreeze products in household refrigerators and its colorless, odorless, and slightly sweet-tasting characteristics, very attractive to animals. The toxic process caused by the ingestion of ethylene glycol progresses rapidly, resulting in renal failure with a poor prognosis, as well as hepatic, cardiovascular, and neurological damage. The objective of this study is to report the case of an eight-year-old spayed female Beagle presenting with acute renal failure and a history of recent ethylene glycol exposure. The initial signs of intoxication included hematemesis, nausea, depression, seizures, polyuria, ataxia, and weakness in the pelvic and thoracic limbs, progressing to oliguria and, ultimately, renal failure. Despite therapeutic efforts, the animal succumbed to severe systemic consequences of renal impairment. Given the scarcity of data in the national literature and the lethality of ethylene glycol ingestion, this case report plays a fundamental role in discussing and comparing the findings with future cases, contributing to theoretical scientific knowledge and optimization of clinical approaches.

References

Aiello, S. E. (2001). Doenças não infecciosas do sistema urinário nos pequenos animais. In Manual Merck de veterinária (9ª ed., pp. 933–946). Editora Roca.

Ávila, K. M., Santos, M. M., & Fragata, F. S. (2008). Emergência do trato urinário. In M. M. Santos & F. S. Fragata (Eds.), Emergência e terapia intensiva veterinária em pequenos animais (pp. 438–446). Roca.

Barros, A. C. M., et al. (2025). Doença renal crônica após intoxicação por etilenoglicol em um cão: um relato de caso. Ciência Animal Brasileira / Brazilian Animal Science.

Bloom, C. A., & Labato, M. A. (2011). Intermittent hemodialysis for small animals. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 41(1), 115–133.

Brasil. (2019). Decreto nº 10.088, de 5 de novembro de 2019. Diário Oficial da União. Disponível em: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2019-2022/2019/decreto/d10088.htm#anexo60

Burr, P., et al. (2009). Current perspectives on canine leptospirosis. In Practice, 31(3), 98–102.

Campbell, A. (2000). Ethylene glycol. In A. Campbell & M. Chapman (Eds.), Handbook of poisoning in dogs and cats (pp. 127–132). John Wiley & Sons.

Cardoso, J. I. G. (2016). Estudo sobre intoxicações em animais de companhia no concelho de Loures (Dissertação de mestrado). Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias.

Chen, R. J., Glagola, J. J., & Nappe, T. M. (2025). Ethylene glycol toxicity. In StatPearls (StatPearls Publishing).

Cianciolo, R. E. (2012). Urinary system. In K. V. F. Jubb, P. C. Kennedy, & N. Palmer (Eds.), Pathology of domestic animals (pp. 384–464). Academic Press.

Connally, H. E., et al. (2000). Inhibition of canine and feline alcohol dehydrogenase activity by fomepizole. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 61(4), 450–455.

Connally, H. E., et al. (2010). Safety and efficacy of high-dose fomepizole compared with ethanol as therapy for ethylene glycol intoxication in cats. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 20(2), 191–206.

Cowgill, L. (2016). Grading of acute kidney injury. International Renal Interest Society. https://www.iris-kidney.com/guidelines/grading.html

Cowgill, L. D., & Guillamin, J. (2013). Extracorporeal renal replacement therapy and blood purification in critical care. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 23(2), 194–204.

Doty, R. L., et al. (2006). Antifreeze ingestion by dogs and rats: Influence of stimulus concentration. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 47(4), 363.

Figueredo, C. (2022). Empresa de petiscos para animais suspende venda por contaminação por etilenoglicol. CNN Brasil. https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/saude/empresa-de-petiscos-para-animais-suspende-venda-por-contaminacao-por-etilenoglicol/

Ghiță, R.-M., et al. (2025). Emergency management in a dog with ethylene glycol intoxication. Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine.

Grauer, G. F., et al. (1984). Early clinicopathologic findings in dogs ingesting ethylene glycol. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 45(11), 2299–2303.

Grave, T. W., & Boag, A. K. (2010). Feline toxicological emergencies: When to suspect and what to do. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 12(11), 849–

John, R., & Herzenberg, A. M. (2009). Renal toxicity of therapeutic drugs. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 62(6), 505–515.

Lunn, K. F. (2011). The kidney in critically ill small animals. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 41(4), 727–744.

Meak, D. (2003). Distúrbios do sistema urogenital. In S. J. Birchard & R. G. Sherding (Eds.), Manual Saunders: Clínica de pequenos animais (pp. 1001–1029). Roca.

MEGlobal. (2024). Product Safety Assessment: Ethylene Glycol (Form No. 233-00395-MEG-PSA-2024). MEGlobal. https://www.meglobal.biz/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Form-No-233-00395-MEG-PSA-2024.pdf

Melchert, A., et al. (2007). Gama-glutamil transpeptidase urinária como indicador de insuficiência renal aguda induzida por gentamicina em cães. Arquivos de Ciências Veterinárias e Zoologia da UNIPAR, 10(2).

Menezes, L. B., et al. (2010). Avaliação do efeito da clorpromazina sobre a função renal de cães submetidos à isquemia e reperfusão. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira, 30(2), 108–114.

Nelson, R. W., & Couto, C. G. (2001). Insuficiência renal. In Medicina interna de pequenos animais (2ª ed., pp. 487–499). Guanabara Koogan.

Organização Mundial da Saúde. (2003). Human leptospirosis: Guidance for diagnosis, surveillance and control. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/human-leptospirosis-guidance-for-diagnosis-surveillance-and-control

Parsa, T., et al. (2005). The usefulness of urine fluorescence for suspected antifreeze ingestion in children. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 23(6), 787–792.

Penumarthy, L., & Oehme, F. W. (1975). Treatment of ethylene glycol toxicosis in cats. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 36(2), 209–212.

Pereira, A. S. et al. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Santa Maria: Editora da UFSM.

Polzin, J. D., et al. (2004). Insuficiência renal crônica. In J. S. Ettinger & E. C. Feldman (Eds.), Tratado de medicina interna veterinária: Doenças do cão e do gato (pp. 1721–1750). Guanabara Koogan.

Ross, E. A. (2012). Congestive renal failure: The pathophysiology and treatment of renal venous hypertension. Journal of Cardiac Failure, 18, 930–938.

Santos Filho, M., et al. (2022). Pneumonite urêmica em canino de oito meses de idade: Relato de caso. Research, Society and Development, 11(16), 1–10.

São Paulo (Estado). Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo. (2012). Ficha de informação toxicológica: Etilenoglicol. CETESB. https://cetesb.sp.gov.br/laboratorios/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2022/06/Etilenoglicol.pdf

Schweighauser, A., & Francey, T. (2016). Ethylene glycol poisoning in three dogs: Importance of early diagnosis and role of hemodialysis as a treatment option. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde, 158(2), 109–114.

Shimizu, T., & Inui, M. (2024). Novel aspects of ethylene glycol catabolism. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 108(1), 369.

Taira, S., Tamayose, S., Kikumura, T., & Nishihira, M. (2025). Clinical manifestations and renal pathology of ethylene glycol. CEN case reports, 14(2), 157–161.

Tart, K. M., & Powell, L. L. (2011). 4-Methylpyrazole as a treatment in naturally occurring ethylene glycol intoxication in cats. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 21(3), 268–272.

Toassi, R. F. C. & Petry, P. C. (2021). Metodologia científica aplicada à área de saúde. (2ed). Editora da UFRGS.

Wallace, K. L., et al. (2001). Diagnostic use of physicians’ detection of urine fluorescence in a simulated ingestion of sodium fluorescein–containing antifreeze. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 38(1), 49–54.

Winter, M. L., et al. (1990). Urine fluorescence using a Wood’s lamp to detect the antifreeze additive sodium fluorescein: A qualitative adjunctive test in suspected ethylene glycol ingestions. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 19(6), 663–667.

Published

2026-02-01

Issue

Section

Agrarian and Biological Sciences

How to Cite

Acute kidney injury associated with ethylene glycol poisoning in dog: Case report. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 15, n. 2, p. e0315250577, 2026. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v15i2.50577. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/rsd/article/view/50577. Acesso em: 12 feb. 2026.