Can my dog eat antifreeze?
No.
Antifreeze (car coolant) is an emergency. It tastes sweet, dogs lap it up, and a few tablespoons can destroy a dog's kidneys. Go to a vet now, even if they seem fine.
Already ate it?
If they ate itGo to a vet now and take the bottle if you have it. Don't wait for symptoms — once the kidneys fail the antidote barely helps. Don't make them vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Watch for30 minutes to 12 hours: wobbly like drunkenness, vomiting, drinking and peeing a lot. Around 12 hours they may seem to recover — they have not. 36 to 72 hours: kidney failure — little or no urine, vomiting, weakness, fits.
Thinking of giving it?
Why not even a littleThe minimum lethal dose of undiluted ethylene glycol in dogs is 4.4 to 6.6 mL per kg of body weight — about 3 tablespoons for a 10 kg dog.
WhyEthylene glycol is broken down by the liver into acids and crystals that wreck the kidneys. The antidote only works in the first hours, before kidney failure starts, and a dog can look better halfway through. Coolant, some brake fluids and puddles under cars and in workshops are all sources.
Where this comes from. Merck Veterinary Manual: Ethylene Glycol Toxicosis in Animals.
Reviewed: 20 October 2026
A guide, not a diagnosis. If your dog seems unwell, call your vet.
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