Incidence of ethylene glycol intoxication in dogs and cats seen at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The number of cases of ethylene glycol intoxication in dogs and cats seen at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 1979 and 1986 was compared with the number of cases of rodenticide, insecticide, herbicide, simple organic compound and food poisonings for the same time period. Of 104 intoxications, ethylene glycol (30/104), rodenticide (53/104), and food poisonings (6/104), were major contributors. Case-fatality rates were 43.3%, 11.3% and 16.7% respectively. Data available from records of ethylene glycol intoxication in dogs and cats occurring between 1968 and 1986 facilitated description of cases by sex, age and season. Of the 60 cases, dogs (35/60) and cats (25/60) yielded uneven or skewed distributions when considering sex, age and/or season of intoxication.