Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 7/3/2010

Question
I bought a new bed for my 8-month old puppy and put it in the trunk of my car. In the trunk, there is a container of engine antifreeze coolant, which had a loose cap that I was unaware of and it tipped over while I was driving. So about ¼ of the fluid leaked out and contaminated the bed.

I rinsed the bed thoroughly using a garden hose when I got home. But I am still nervous about using it. What if there is still residual liquid getting deeper in the stuffing? Is it safe to use when it is completely dry? My puppy has a habit of digging and chewing her bed; she even turns over her old bed and chews the bottom. Will this bed has any potential danger to her health? Will is cause skin allergy? What should I do with the bed? Wash it again or must throw it away? It is a brand new high quality bed. Please help.
Thanks
Ze

Answer
The antifreeze will only be a problem if the puppy gets a lot of it at one time.  If you rinsed and diluted the antifreeze and the pet bed dried, that should not pose a problem topically to the skin.  The puppy would get a lot sicker from eating the bed than from the residual antifreeze contained in the bed.