Safety and efficacy of 4-methylpyrazole for treatment of suspected or confirmed ethylene glycol intoxication in dogs: 107 cases (1983-1995).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate safety and efficacy of 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP) treatment in dogs and to determine clinical signs and outcome of, and clinicopathologic abnormalities in, dogs treated in early or late stages of ethylene glycol (EG) intoxication.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
107 dogs.


METHODS
For dogs treated with 4-MP, 1 of 2 dosage regimens was usually used: 20 mg/kg of body weight, IV, initially, 15 mg/kg 17 hours later, and 5 mg/kg 25 and 36 hours after the initial dose, or 20 mg/kg, IV, initially, 15 mg/kg 12 and 24 hours later, and 5 mg/kg 36 hours after the initial dose.


RESULTS
Neither adverse clinical signs nor clinicopathologic abnormalities were associated with the administration of 4-MP except in 1 dog, which developed tachypnea, gagging, excess salivation, and trembling after the second dose of 4-MP was given. Ethylene glycol intoxication was confirmed in 37 dogs. Of these, 21 were azotemic or became azotemic within 18 hours after admission, and only 1 of the 21 survived. All 16 dogs that did not become azotemic survived. Median time from EG ingestion to treatment with 4-MP was 5 hours (range, 2 to 8.5 hours) for dogs that were not azotemic at admission and 14.5 hours (range, 8.5 to 38 hours) for dogs that were azotemic at admission.


CONCLUSIONS
4-MP was a safe and effective treatment for EG intoxication when it was given before sufficient quantities of EG had been metabolized to induce renal failure. Dogs treated within 8 hours of EG ingestion had a good prognosis.
Connally
H E
HE
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
Thrall
M A
MA
Forney
S D
SD
Grauer
G F
GF
Hamar
D W
DW
D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004285:Dogs; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019855:Ethylene Glycol; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D000077604:Fomepizole; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary; D011379:Prognosis; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014511:Uremia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D011720:Pyrazoles; D000077604:Fomepizole; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D019855:Ethylene Glycol