Nova Scotia woman cautions others after her 2 dogs euthanized following poisoning

A Nova Scotia woman wants to warn others of the danger signs after her two dogs had to be put down after they ingested a toxic substance.

Sonia German's dogs were put down due to kidney failure.

The Greenwood resident owned a five-year old Alaskan malamute and a two-year-old Shiba Inu.

On Dec. 30, her home security camera captured a theft outside the house, someone spray painting graffiti on her garage door and also slashing her car tires.

German let her dogs out into the backyard at about the same time as the vandalism was happening, though she said she didn't realize that until she checked security footage later. She believes someone could have approached the dogs and poisoned them at that time.

Nova Scotia RCMP are investigating. 

German said the dogs had an upset stomach for a few days, but they weren't eating or drinking by the third day. She said the symptoms rapidly worsened after that. 

"I was like, OK, something is very wrong," said German, who took the dogs to the vet.

A urine sample revealed kidney failure in both dogs.

She tried fluid therapy for days, but the kidney function remained at zero. Six days later, she had the dogs put down. 

A recent necropsy report by Nova Scotia's Animal Health Laboratory stated the dogs ingested ethylene glycol and "the most common source of this chemical is antifreeze."

German said there was no antifreeze inside the house and the dogs didn't leave the yard that day.

She said if she knew the warning signs of dog poisoning — nausea, extreme lethargy and not eating or drinking — she would have taken her dogs to the vet sooner. 

According to the website for the Pet Poison Helpline, to be effective, treatment for ethylene glycol poisoning must be administered within eight to 12 hours of ingestion.